Explanting UTM implants when part of the pectoralis major muscle is missing: What to expect?

Question

In a previous explant 16 years ago, the inferior half of my left pectoralis major muscle was resected. This was only discovered during a subsequent submuscular re-implant when my surgeon noted the missing muscle tissue. I am now planning to permanently remove my current submuscular implants and am concerned about how the missing pec muscle will affect both the surgery and my final look. Does it make the surgery more complex? Will it impact my visual results?

Emre Guvercin, MD, FEBOPRAS · Answer

The absence of part of the pectoralis major muscle does not necessarily have a direct negative impact on your final appearance after explantation. Many patients worry that missing muscle will automatically create contour deformities, but in reality, the final breast shape after explant is influenced more by skin quality, breast tissue volume, implant size, and pocket characteristics than by the muscle alone. That said, your surgery may be somewhat more technically complex, and careful preoperative evaluation becomes particularly important. The key questions are whether you will have sufficient soft tissue coverage after implant removal, whether a lift will be needed to address tissue descent, and whether additional volume procedures such as fat transfer may be beneficial to optimize contour and symmetry. Since many variables determine the final shape after explant &mdash; including skin elasticity, pocket stretch, and breast tissue distribution &mdash; a personalized surgical plan is essential. With proper planning, the absence of part of the pectoralis muscle can usually be managed without significantly compromising the aesthetic outcome.

Explanting UTM implants when part of the pectoralis major muscle is missing: What to expect?

Answers (1)

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