What is the Difference Between Submuscular and Partial Submuscular Implants?

Submuscular placement may be more uncomfortable the first few days following surgery. The possible benefits of submuscular placement are that it may result in less palpable implants, less capsular contracture, and it will make it easier to image the breast with mammography. The appearance may be more “natural” for patients who are very thin. Subglandular placement may make your surgery andrecovery shorter and you may have less discomfort. This placement may provide a slight “lift”. Subglandular placement may result in more palpable implants, more capsular contracture and more difficult imaging of the breast with mammography. This placement is often recommended for those patients with sagging, but do not want a breast lift (mastopexy) and for tubular breast deformity

If you want to prevent an animation deformity (which is when the breast implant moves when the pectoral muscle contracts) you would want the implant located in a subglandular position (in front of the muscle). This location can make mammograms more difficult to interpret and have a slightly higher incidence of rippling, but if you're very athletic it is an option.

I recommend consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss this in further detail and have a complete examination.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

Most prospective breast augmentation patients are familiar with the concepts of placing implants under or over the muscle. Each of these general approaches have a large number of variations that Plastic Surgeons consider and tailor to each patients unique needs. By far the most common approach is a "partially sub-muscular" or sub-pectoral positioning of the breast implants. Depending on the muscular anatomy, the pectoral muscle covers the upper 1/3 - 1/2 of the implant with the lowermost part of the implant covered by the breast tissue only. Another variation of this position is referred to a dual-plane technique. Totally sub-muscular implant locations are used much less commonly in elective breast augmentation surgery. This technique requires the adjacent muscles on the chest to be elevated along with pectoral muscle.

In order to decrease the dynamic shape changes to the breast that occurs with muscular contraction, slight variations in technique can be considered. Dual-plane, split muscle and sub-fascial techniques each have benefits and trade-offs.  The split muscle pocket is not popular with most Plastic Surgeons because of the added surgical trauma required and the more limited coverage provided by using only the upper portion of the pectoralis major muscle.

There is no one particular technique that is far superior to others or that is the best choice for all patients. Some shape and position change occurs during muscular contraction in all techniques where some or all of the muscle is used to camouflage and cover the implant.

Dr. Mosher