Fat Graft Breast Augmentation – Brisbane

Why consider fat graft breast augmentation surgery?  | Risks |  Consultation  |  Patient FAQ's

Patients have undergone fat grafting to their breasts at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane to achieve aesthetic breast enlargement without the use of implants.

Autologous fat graft breast augmentation (fat injection) is a surgical technique which is undertaken as day case surgery with patients typically recovering over a period of one to two weeks. The procedure involves a number of scars which are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length.

Risks of fat graft surgery

Fat grafting is a surgical procedure which involves harvesting fat from a ‘donor site’ using a liposuction technique. It is then prepared carefully and injected in the breast ‘graft site’. Risks common to all surgical procedures including anaesthetic and wound complications will be detailed during your consultation at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane and need to be appreciated when considering fat graft surgery. Risks specific to fat graft surgery such as damage to structures at either the donor or recipient sites in addition to long term consequences of fat grafting such as contour defects, fat graft loss, fat necrosis or oil cyst lumps will also be detailed during consultation.

Why consider fat graft breast augmentation surgery?

At NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane, patients have undergone fat grafting to their breasts to:

• Augment their breast size and change breast shape and projection

At NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane, autologous fat graft surgery has been performed to achieve one to two cup size breast augmentation. The result has been permanent enhancement of breast volume and shape, which is natural in appearance and feel.

Risks typically associated with breast implants such as visible rippling, edge palpability and visibility are avoided with fat graft augmentation. Risks of revisional surgery to address implant malposition, rupture or capsular contracture are also avoided. The risk of Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, is zero when the breast enhancement is performed using fat grafts as no implants are used.

When patients seek a more significant breast enlargement in excess of one to two cup sizes, fat graft surgery can be combined with breast implants where appropriate. Fat graft surgery as an adjunct to implant based breast augmentation can be considered in order to optimise the soft tissue cover of the upper pole of the breasts in very thin patients or to create cleavage in patients where an anatomically wide sternum can impact the appearance of the cleavage.

• Fat graft augmentation mastopexy (breast lift) surgery

Breast augmentation using autologous fat grafting in combination with mastopexy surgery is also performed at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane. The technique addresses breast ptosis and augments upper pole fullness and cleavage. Some patients have undergone this surgery after weight loss, pregnancy or breast feeding.

The operation can be performed in a single stage, as fat graft augmentation avoids the need for implant pocket creation. As such, the need for two operations - sometimes required in breast implant augmentation and mastopexy surgery to minimise risk of nipple necrosis - is avoided.

The procedure involves repositioning of the breast volume and nipple areolar complexes (the mastopexy surgery) followed by autologous fat grafting to augment the cleavage and create upper pole fullness.

The result of combining the two techniques is aesthetic breast surgery using the patient’s own tissue and avoiding the use of foreign material in the form of silicone breast implants.

• Breast implant removal, ‘en bloc’ capsulectomy and autologous fat grafting

The specialist plastic surgeons at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane have significant experience of breast implant removal with total capsulectomy surgery (colloquially known as or “en bloc” removal), combined with fat grafting of the breasts.

Our patients have undergone implant removal without replacement implants, preferring autologous augmentation using their own fat tissue. They also seek to avoid future implant related surgery such as implant removal and/or replacement. Some patients have experienced issues with their implants including pain or symptoms they attribute to their breast implants, sometimes referred to as Breast Implant Illness (BII)

Whilst current scientific knowledge does not link silicone implants with systemic symptoms, the surgeons of NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane are open minded and respect a patient’s choice to remove their implants.

Where appropriately selected, total (‘en bloc’) capsulectomy techniques are undertaken and can be combined with fat grafting to the breasts. Patients have had satisfactory outcomes from this combined technique.

• Post-mastectomy reconstructive surgery

Breast reconstruction techniques undertaken at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane include use of implants alone or in combination with selective fat grafting where required. Unlike breast implants which are manufactured in standard sizes and shapes, fat grafts can be injected selectively to address specific issues such as contour defects and have achieved satisfactory outcomes in patients who have undergone mastectomy surgery.

• Correct developmental breast asymmetry

The Surgeons of NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane have treated congenital breast asymmetry using autologous fat grafting alone or in combination with breast implants where appropriate.

Why consider NorthEast Plastic Surgery for breast augmentation using autologous fat injection?

The Surgeons of NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane are experienced in performing autologous fat injection breast augmentation surgery. Their associated expertise extends to similar augmentation surgery of faces and other contour defects.

The key to success of fat graft surgery is long term survival of the fat injection, also known as fat graft cell ‘take’. Surgical technique, experience and expertise of the surgeon can impact this outcome. In addition, patient factors including a history of cigarette smoking, quality of fat graft “donor sites” and vascular supply of the recipient site which can be adversely affected by scaring, are also important considerations.

All such variables are carefully considered as the greater the long term survival of the fat graft, the better the aesthetic outcome.

At NorthEast Plastic Surgery Brisbane, the fat injection treatment protocol includes bespoke patient assessment, along with pre and post-operative optimisation to achieve successful autologous breast augmentation.

Consultation:

• The consultation process aims to establish the patient’s aims including breast size, shape and projection.
• The consultation is also designed to identify and address potential issues which can risk fat graft take, including cigarette smoking and medication which can cause blood thinning.
• Examination is focused on identifying potential fat graft donor sites. Fat grafts are best harvested from donor sites which are most resistant to weight fluctuations as the grafted fat will behave as though it remains at the donor site. Consideration must also be given to shape changes that may result from liposuction harvest techniques at donor sites.
• At the conclusion of clinical assessment, you will be counselled regarding realistic expectations of fat grafting to breasts.

In preparation for fat graft breast augmentation surgery, patients are counselled regarding NorthEast Plastic Surgery’s three step treatment protocol to achieve symmetrical and long lasting results:

• Pre-operative advice to optimise the condition of fat graft cells prior to transfer
• Surgical techniques relating to fat graft harvest, preparation and injection to optimise grafted fat cell “take”.
• Specific advice regarding post-operative aftercare instructions to optimise outcome.

Patient FAQ’s include:

Is fat graft breast augmentation surgery safe?

Fat grafting is a surgical technique which utilises your own fat cells. Like any surgical procedure, it involves risks that will be explained to you during your consultation and also in writing during the surgical consent process.

What happens to fat which fails to take as a graft?

The fat graft cells which fail to successfully acquire a blood supply will not survive and are usually resorbed and removed by your body. However if larger volumes of transferred fat merge into a single area this can result in the fat turning into oil and forming an oil cyst. Such a cyst can feel firm or even hard. It may require further treatment including surgery or aspiration.

Will I be able to breast feed after fat graft surgery?

The ability to breast feed after fat graft breast augmentation should not be affected. The fat graft cells are placed within the breast tissue and do not disrupt breast glandular tissues necessary for lactation.

Will nipple sensation be affected after fat injection surgery?

Breast and nipple sensation should not be affected after fat injection surgery, unlike breast implant surgery where nipple sensation can be affected.

Will I be able to “feel” the fat graft?
Fat grafted breasts can feel firm but the injected fat integrates with your existing breast tissue, creating a soft, natural feel that closely resembles your own breast tissue.

Can I have mammograms and breast ultrasound studies after fat graft surgery?
Routine mammography and ultrasound studies can be performed after fat graft surgery with accurate imaging of the breasts in respect of the diagnosis of breast cancers. Having fat graft breast augmentation should not prevent the ability to detect breast cancers by such imaging techniques.

When will I know if the fat graft surgery has been successful?
Like all grafts, fat grafts are considered to have successfully taken once a blood supply has been established. Given a degree of breast swelling can be expected after any surgical procedure, the degree of fat graft take is best appreciated several weeks after surgery. Significant weight loss should be avoided during and after this period to optimise the longevity of aesthetic outcome.

Second Opinion

Mr Patrick Tansley MD FRCS (Plast) and Dr Sugitha Seneviratne FRACS (Plast) provide second opinion consultations to patients seeking to address problems following fat grafting surgery performed elsewhere including 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.