I had prophylactic mastectomy with expanders. I am at 350ccs and doc says my skin is too tight to expand more. I am disappointed as I wanted to be a bit larger. Is there any way around this or is this it for me?
Answer: Too tight I have never personally seen that happen. The premise of tissue expansion is to stretch tight skin. It may be very thin but that is a different problem
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Answer: Too tight I have never personally seen that happen. The premise of tissue expansion is to stretch tight skin. It may be very thin but that is a different problem
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
Answer: Tight skin after tissue expansion and desire for a larger reconstructed breast Unfortunately it is unlikely that your surgeon can place an implant in you that has a volume greater than your current tissue expander. When using tissue expansion/implant reconstruction one of the factors limiting your outcome is the capacity for your skin and underlying muscle layer to expand. If you are unhappy with the expected size you could undergo a procedure whereby additional tissue is transferred to the reconstructed breasts. A latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap is often a good option in this situation. In this procedure additional skin and underlying muscle is transferred from your back to your front. Additional tissue expansion can then be achieved allowing for reconstruction of a larger breast.
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Answer: Tight skin after tissue expansion and desire for a larger reconstructed breast Unfortunately it is unlikely that your surgeon can place an implant in you that has a volume greater than your current tissue expander. When using tissue expansion/implant reconstruction one of the factors limiting your outcome is the capacity for your skin and underlying muscle layer to expand. If you are unhappy with the expected size you could undergo a procedure whereby additional tissue is transferred to the reconstructed breasts. A latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap is often a good option in this situation. In this procedure additional skin and underlying muscle is transferred from your back to your front. Additional tissue expansion can then be achieved allowing for reconstruction of a larger breast.
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July 10, 2014
Answer: Too-thin skin can cause problems. If the skin and tissue over the implant are stretched too thin, then you won’t see the level of coverage that’s likely to give you the best results. I suspect this is your surgeon’s reasoning behind stopping expansion and using smaller implants than you would prefer. I would revisit this discussion with your surgeon for a better understanding of the reasons behind this recommendation. Remember that the skin, a thin layer of fat and the pectoral muscle are all that cover your implant - you want as thick a padding as you can get and overstretched the skin to allow a larger implant may compromise this padding and increase the visibility of the implant and result is rippling.
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July 10, 2014
Answer: Too-thin skin can cause problems. If the skin and tissue over the implant are stretched too thin, then you won’t see the level of coverage that’s likely to give you the best results. I suspect this is your surgeon’s reasoning behind stopping expansion and using smaller implants than you would prefer. I would revisit this discussion with your surgeon for a better understanding of the reasons behind this recommendation. Remember that the skin, a thin layer of fat and the pectoral muscle are all that cover your implant - you want as thick a padding as you can get and overstretched the skin to allow a larger implant may compromise this padding and increase the visibility of the implant and result is rippling.
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June 7, 2014
Answer: How much more can I expand. As has been previously mentioned in the answers below, it's a tough question to answer without examining you. When we expand patients we have to use our best judgment as to how much the tissues will tolerate. If the skin flaps appear to be getting too thin we have to stop expanding because we want good coverage for your implant. Depending upon how your expander is situated on your chest it is possible to open some additional space during the surgery to allow for a large implant. For example, sometimes the expanders don't fill the upper part of the breast enough, so we can open up that space in the OR. That can frequently allow you to accommodate a larger implant. Again, this is best assessed by surgeon taking care of you. Good luck with your surgery.
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June 7, 2014
Answer: How much more can I expand. As has been previously mentioned in the answers below, it's a tough question to answer without examining you. When we expand patients we have to use our best judgment as to how much the tissues will tolerate. If the skin flaps appear to be getting too thin we have to stop expanding because we want good coverage for your implant. Depending upon how your expander is situated on your chest it is possible to open some additional space during the surgery to allow for a large implant. For example, sometimes the expanders don't fill the upper part of the breast enough, so we can open up that space in the OR. That can frequently allow you to accommodate a larger implant. Again, this is best assessed by surgeon taking care of you. Good luck with your surgery.
Helpful
September 10, 2015
Answer: Can you be expanded further? Without examining you it is hard to determine if you can be expanded further. However, for patients with thin tissue there are alternatives, such as the use of fat grafting or products known as ADM’s (acellular dermal matrix) that can allow safe additional expansion of the skin so you could have larger implants. You need to confer with an experienced plastic surgeon. Best wishes.
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September 10, 2015
Answer: Can you be expanded further? Without examining you it is hard to determine if you can be expanded further. However, for patients with thin tissue there are alternatives, such as the use of fat grafting or products known as ADM’s (acellular dermal matrix) that can allow safe additional expansion of the skin so you could have larger implants. You need to confer with an experienced plastic surgeon. Best wishes.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful