About Lynne's Breast Surgery

Post Op Check!

2010-02-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

I just spoke to Lynne (it is now 6 p.m. our time, 3 p.m.blogspot time) She is doing great! She says she is comfortable, resting without pain and has already eaten. I have asked her to call me should any questions or problems arise, as is my routine.

Lynne left our recovery room about an hour after her surgery, and will be using our post-op bra to keep her comfortable over the next few days. We will let her shower on Saturday, (48 hours post-op) and be seeing her in the office Tuesday.

Check this site out over the next few days for pictures!

2010-02-18T06:42:00.000-08:00

Lynne is in the recovery room! Her surgery started at 8 this morning, and went very smoothly. Her implants were both in good position by 9, and she was on her way to recovery at 9:30 in her post-op bra.

She has a very nice result. We were able to achieve the look she wanted... a full B, but still keep it in proportion to her thin frame.

She will spend an hour in recovery then rest at home. I will be calling her this evening to check up on her, and keep you posted! I will also post her before pictures later on!

The Day Before Lynne's Surgery!

2010-02-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

Lynne and I have had a chance to talk twice now, and she has decided to shoot for a very full "B" look. she does not want to look "fake" and that should not be a problem at all at this size.

We have talked a lot about the pros and cons of saltwater (saline) implants versus silicone gel implants. I have explained to L,ynne that there really is no "best kind" of implant. I have found that most women can pretty quickly figure out which type meets their needs the best after discussing the differences.

Saline implants have the lowest chance of developing a problem tightness later on called capsular contracture. If saline implants leak, or deflate, it is very easy to tell because you can see the change in the mirror...you do not need any tests! Silicone gel implants have a higher chance of getting problem tightness later, and can be very difficult to tell whether they have a leak or not. The FDA recommends that patients with gel implants have a test called an MRI every few years to check for leaks because of this.

On the other hand, silicone gel implants look and feel just a little bit more natural than the saltwater implants, especially in women without much breast tissue to cover the implants. The saltwater implants are easier to feel.

So how does someone choose? In general, women whose top concern is a lower chance of maintenance work later might want to lean towards the saline, while those whose number one priority is the absolute most natural feel and look might consider the gel. I have many hundreds of happy patients now with each type.

Lynne has a relatively small amount of breast tissue, so her implants will be easier to feel. She is very concerned with a natural look and feel. She is willing to accept a higher chance of maintenance work down the road, and has decided on gel implants.

Tomorrow is Lynne's surgery day! I will be meeting her bright and early in our private operating suite with my surgical team. I will be joined by our anesthetist, Linda, circulating nurse, Kathy, surgical technician Donna, and of course, Lynne.

I will be sure to keep you posted as to her progress!

Helping Lynne plan her breast augmentation

2010-02-13T17:46:00.000-08:00

I see that Lynne has posted some detailed comments about her decision to have breast augmentation. In many ways her story is like that of many women seeking the surgery, and of course, there are aspects about planning her operation that must be uniquely tailored to her as an individual.

Like all women who see me to talk about breast implants, I started out by making sure that any questions she had about the surgery were answered right off the bat. Some women have lots of questions immediately, while others really do not know enough details about the operation to have questions before we talk.( I encourage patients to make lists of questions between visits so that they do not forget.) Lynne saw a DVD about the procedure which we have each patient see before spending about 45 minutes talking with me.

Like many women, (but not all!) Lynne was very concerned that she would not end up looking "unnaturally large". Deciding on the perfect size is one of the most difficult aspects of planning breast surgery, and I have found that listening to patients concerns, asking carefully chosen questions, looking at before and after photos together, and giving patients a chance to reflect and see me a second time have all led to a very high level of satisfaction for my patients. Lynne is leaning towards a "small C" cup size and I think that will be a good look for her. (It is much better to concentrate on "the look" than cup size since women can be comfortable in different cup sizes based on the manufacturer and personal taste.)

We spent a lot of time talking about what I refer to as "the bad stuff" about breast implants. Everyone knows the "good stuff!" Chief among the issues I want patients to be aware of is the fact that mammograms are more difficult to read after breast implants. Women need three pictures of each breast instead of just two with mammography once they have implants, although they do not need mammograms any more often. (Mammograms are a little easier to read if the implants are placed under the muscle.) The most common problem with implants is a leak or deflation....this happens to 7 to 9 percent of women in the first ten years after having implants, and requires an operation to replace the implant. The second potential problem is a tightness around the implant called a capsular contracture. This can make the breast look and feel unnatural, and in severe cases can require an operation to correct. With saltwater (or saline) implants the risk of this is 2 percent, but the risk with gel implants is higher. We also discussed less common risks like loss of sensation, problem scars, infection and bleeding.

After addressing all of Lynne's questions, I performed a physical exam. I made measurements of her breast dimensions, and carefully assessed the symmetry of her breasts. Almost all women have differences in size and shape between the two breasts, and these must be accounted for in planning the surgery. Lynne has very little sagging, and only minor differences between the breasts. These factors will make planning her operation and getting a nice result a little easier. Lynne does not have a lot of breast tissue, or any extra skin. This will make getting a soft and natural result a little trickier, and may influence her choice of saline versus gel implants. After finishing the exam and looking at some before and after pictures of my patients, we had a discussion about the saltwater and gel implants. I will discuss those issues with my next post!

2010-01-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

I have just learned that Lynne will be posting her thoughts about her reasons for seeking breast augmentation @ this address: http://lynnesbreastsurgery.blogspot.com
I am curious about her side of the story!

For those of you desiring more information about Plastic Surgery in general, or my practice in particular, please visit www.drgaryprice.com

2010-01-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Hello! My name is Dr. Gary Price, and I have just recently seen a new patient, Lynne, about the possibility of cosmetic breast augmentaion here in my office in Guilford Connecticut. Lynne will be posting her own blog about this visit and the process of deciding about which implants to use, where to have the surgery done, and all of the issues which arise as part of her decision to have the surgery.

I will keep you posted about my perspective on her decisions, and if she does go ahead with the surgery, keep you posted about her progress. If she is willing, perhaps we can share her before and after pictures as well.

Over the next few days I will be explaining what we talked about in her consultation. I look forward to hearing from you as we go through this process with Lynne!