Breast Augmentation Brisbane

Why consider a Breast augmentation? | Breast augmentation surgery consultation | Breast augmentation surgery | Recovery period | Book Consultation

NorthEast Plastic Surgery, has changed the layout of the educational information about this
procedure to outline the risk and recovery information at the top of the page in order to be
compliant with the advertising guidelines of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
(Ahpra).

As we appreciate that this may impact your understanding, the surgeons will answer any related
questions at your consultation.

Risks

While risks are uncommon, your surgeon will inform you of the potential risks and complications of surgery in general, and of your specific procedure.

Risks common to all operations include problem scarring such as keloid or hypertrophic scars, wound complications including infection and breakdown, haematoma formation (bleeding) or seroma formation (tissue fluid collection), as well as the risk of further surgery to address such complications.

Risks specific to breast augmentation surgery include changes in nipple sensation, capsular contracture, implant failure/rupture, Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and asymmetry.

Recovery Period

It is important that access to medical attention is available by telephone once you have been discharged. Issues about which your surgeon needs to be made aware urgently include pain uncontrolled by medication, bleeding to the extent that the dressings soak through with blood, temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius, redness of the skin or swelling or any concerns related to the surgery.

Patients are typically discharged on the same day to the care of a responsible adult or the surgery can be performed on an overnight hospital basis. It’s very important you take the prescribed pain medication and antibiotics at this time to control your levels of discomfort and reduce the risk of infection.

In general, swelling and bruising increase over the first three to five days and improve between five to ten days. In some instances, it may take several months for the soft tissue swelling to subside completely. During this period the sensation of the breast skin and nipples may be affected but it typically returns to normal over a few months, although permanent loss of nipple sensation can occur in a small percentage of patients (approximately one to two percent).

During post-operative visits, your dressings will be changed as appropriate. Wound healing will generally take approximately two weeks to achieve. During this period, movement should be undertaken with care to assist the wound healing process. Driving a motor vehicle can typically commence when you have ceased pain medication which is usually one week after surgery; strenuous exercise can be resumed at around six to eight weeks. It is important to avoid accidentally hitting or knocking the site for six weeks after surgery. Return to work can be anticipated after two to three weeks.

NorthEast Plastic Surgery will provide instructions on swelling and scar management strategies such as Light Emitting Diode (LED) therapy, massage, taping and silicone gel ] during post-operative consultations.

Every patient scars differently. Your surgeon will make every attempt to minimise the size and visibility of your breast augmentation scar.

Due to soft tissue swelling, the final result of breast augmentation surgery may not fully visible for many months after surgery.

Why Consider Breast Augmentation

NorthEast Plastic Surgery’s team of highly experienced surgeons produce excellent surgical results from breast augmentation procedures at their Brisbane practice.

Patients most commonly seek breast augmentation to increase breast size and to change breast shape.

Many different types of implants are used, most of which are filled with silicone with a variable surface texture or outer shell. Breast augmentation may change body proportions in developmental conditions. It is also effective in addressing breast volume asymmetry or following mastectomy surgery.

Breast Augmentation Surgery Consultation

Patients should seriously consider the significant adjustment following a change in appearance in addition to the process of post-operative recovery before making the decision to undergo breast augmentation surgery.

Aims

At our Brisbane Practice, a consultation will be undertaken to determine potential limitations to breast augmentation surgery which can include; skin quality, breast ptosis (descent), breast volume, and chest wall soft tissue cover.

During the consultation, the Surgeon will cover issues which need to be considered before undergoing surgery. These may include:

• Desired breast size – While this is a very individual decision, it is critical that the desired breast size is determined as accurately as possible pre- operatively as ‘under-sizing’ may result in disappointment and ‘over-sizing’ may lead to feelings of self-consciousness. During pre-operative consultations, crop top exercise bras and appropriate sized implants will be discussed and trialed.
• Implant shape – Breast implants vary from round to tear drop in shape and their suitability depends on numerous variables including your desired aesthetic outcome following surgery. Your surgeon will discuss this with you and show you pre and post-operative images.
• Implant type – Currently, cohesive silicone gel implants are most frequently used in breast augmentation. Whilst saline implants may be considered, there can be aesthetic issues over time. Evolving implant technology has led to the surface of the silicone gel implants being variable in nature. The significance of this will be discussed during the consultation with your Surgeon as it impacts your implant selection.
• Implant position – Breast implants can be positioned sub-glandular (behind the breast), sub-pectoral (behind the pectoralis major muscle), or dual plane (a combination of the two methods). Each method produces a different aesthetic outcome, especially in patients who have breast
  ptosis (descent) of the breast. Some patients who have breast ptosis may consider a breast lift procedure alone or as part of their breast augmentation. This will be discussed at the consultation.
• Scar – An inframammary approach (inserted via incisions placed in the fold under the breast) is the most commonly used incision. Incisions can also be made at the junction of the areolar and breast skin (periareolar) or through the axilla (transaxillary).

Cost

In Australia, surgeons are strongly discouraged from advertising a set price for a medical procedure. This is in line with the Guidelines for advertising of regulated health services by the Australian Medical Board. For this reason, we do not include a cost per procedure on our website.

Part of your consultation with our surgeons will include discussion of the cost of your procedure and you will be given a personalised quotation for your procedure.

If you require information regarding the costs of surgery before your initial consultation, we are available by phone on 07 3180 3400 or via enquiry through our website.

Consultation Cost

There is a cost for an initial consultation at our Brisbane clinic, with the potential to receive a portion of this back via Medicare where eligible for rebate, provided you have a referral from your GP.

Past Medical History

At the consultation, the surgeon must be informed of the following:

• a tendency for easy bruising and excessive bleeding
• deep venous clots involving the legs
• all prescription and non-prescription medication
• allergies to anaesthetic agents, antibiotics and dressings
• family medical history including breast cancer history
• past or future planned pregnancies
• breastfeeding history
• breast imaging with mammography and ultrasound studies
• history of smoking
• psychological or psychiatric issues.
• previous surgeries
• history of scarring
• significant medical history including breast cancers

It is vitally important that the surgeon is made aware of these, or other material information before undergoing surgery. Each has the potential to affect the surgery, anaesthesia, and recovery.

Pre-operative Management

Your surgeon may require you to undergo further tests to ensure you are a suitable candidate for the surgery and general anaesthesia.

Before surgery, your surgeon will also inform you of certain medications to avoid two weeks prior to and after surgery, including:

• Aspirin
• Oral contraceptive pill
• Medication containing blood thinning agents
• Herbal medications such as Garlic, Ginseng, Ginko, Arnica, Fish and Krill oil
• Disprin
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as Nurofen

If you’re a smoker, you will be required to stop smoking six weeks before and after surgery to minimise the risk of surgical wound complications and anaesthesia. Products containing nicotine, such as patches and gum, can also affect wound healing and should be ceased two weeks prior to and after surgery.

Breast Augmentation Surgery

The procedure is performed under general anaesthetic administered by a Specialist Anaesthetist in an accredited hospital. The incision is made through inframammary incision. NorthEast Plastic Surgery chooses not to administer twilight sedation for breast augmentation surgery due to potential adverse clinical outcomes. Expected scarring will be discussed prior to surgery.

Internal dissolving stitches are used to close the wound. Drainage tubes may be required to drain tissue fluid and blood.

Post-surgery, a waterproof dressing will be applied (to enable showering) and a post surgery brassiere is applied to minimise soft tissue swelling.

Informed Consent

Consent should only be given after having the opportunity to have your questions and concerns addressed by your surgeon at the culmination of the consultation process. The consent process will also include a discussion of the cost of surgery and the potential for revisional surgery.

Second Opinion

Mr Patrick Tansley MD FRCS (Plast) and Dr Sugitha Seneviratne FRACS (Plast) provide second opinion to patients seeking to address problems following plastic surgery performed elsewhere and revisional or corrective surgery. If you would like a second opinion on previously undertaken surgery, book a consultation to discuss this with one or both of our surgeons.