Any patient undergoing breast augmentation mammoplasty in Brisbane will know that there are many decisions including breast implant shape, shell and fill. The most important consideration during this time—for both patients and surgeons—should always be safety. Safety in breast augmentation is achieved through strategic planning and decision-making from both patient and surgeon, and complications management will play a huge role in your short and long-term results and health.

If you are someone who has done research into breast augmentation mammoplasty, you’re probably aware of some of the complications that can arise in both the short and long-term. Some complications include capsular contracture, implant rupture, and more. Many of these complications are implant-related. As such, the choice of implant will play a significant role in preventing and managing these risks. But what type of implants can help prevent these complications? This blog post aims to break down the specific characteristics of breast implants to better understand implant choices for women considering breast surgery in Brisbane.

Breast Implants: Shell

The first noticeable aspect of the breast implant is the shell. Implant shells come in many different varieties, and implant technology has progressed significantly in the past decade. At the most basic level, implant shells come in both textured and smooth varieties. Textured implant shells refer to an implant surface that is rough and sometimes compared to sandpaper. Unlike smooth-surface implants, the surface of the textured implant adheres to the breast pocket, creating more stability.

For this reason, the textured surface was a preferred option for many years. This is because the topology reduced the risk of rotation and displacement. This preference changed dramatically however, when a rare link was identified between textured surface implants and a rare lymphoma called ALCL. You can read more about the link between textured implants and ALCL here. This finding led to a recall of shelf-stock of certain implant varieties, and a discontinuation of numerous implant types. The good news for patients with these implants is that the risk is extremely low, and patients are simply advised to stay on top of regular ultrasounds and breast implant checks to monitor any changes. 

In response to these findings, Dr. Phil Richardson from Brisbane Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery—alongside many expert surgeons in the field—completely ceased the use of textured implants in an effort to uphold safety standards for patients. Smooth surface implants have no cited link to ALCL, and were the logical alternative to textured implants. Traditional smooth surface implants have a silicone shell. This shell is smooth, shiny, and moves more freely within the breast pocket. The downside to the smooth surface implant was the increased incidence of certain complications. Research found that implant lowering and rippling were more common with smooth implant varieties. This is due to the movement of the implant within the pocket. This led to a desire of many surgeons for improvements in smooth implant technology.

Motiva Implants

For Dr. Phil Richardson, Motiva implants were a possible solution. Motiva implants are a smooth surface implant with a “nano-textured” surface. This is a middle ground between a smooth and textured implant. The SilkSurface technology has no evidenced link to BIA-ALCL, and the nano-textured surface creates greater stability within the pocket, mitigating the risk of lowering and rippling. Dr. Richardson has been using Motiva implants for many years now, and it is his implant of choice for breast augmentation mammoplasty surgery.

Breast Implants: Fill

Implant fill is an important consideration for breast augmentation mammoplasty patients, as this will have a significant impact on both aesthetic outcomes and preventing complications. Historically, there were two main groups of implants – saline and silicone gel. In recent times, saline implants have become rare. This is due to the deflation of the breast that occurs when a saline implant ruptures. Thankfully, the saline reabsorbs into the body, however patients will require immediate revision surgery unless they are happy to have one deflated breast in the interim. Silicone implants have become much more popular in the past decade. Many different gel varieties have come to market as a result. 

Motiva offers two main silicone gel options: progressive and ergonomix. These two gels serve different purposes and will impact your results. Progressive gel is a firm gel that holds its shape. Progressive gel is generally recommended for patients seeking a more enhanced look. In addition, it can suit those who want to prioritise aspects such as upper-pole fullness. On the other hand, Ergonomix gel is a soft gel that intends to mould to the natural shape of the breast. As such, ergonomix gel is generally recommended to patients that are seeking a more natural aesthetic that mimics more of a “teardrop” appearance. But how does this impact safety?

The great thing about Motiva progressive and ergonomix is that they boast high cohesiveness and viscoelastic properties which means that when ruptured, there is no gel leakage. In the past, an issue with many gel implant varieties was gel leakage which could create health issues for patients. This does not mean they eliminate risks, as there are always risks involved in breast augmentation mammoplasty. But Motiva implants mitigate risk with their implant technology, and this is a huge reason they are Dr. Richardson’s preferred implant variety.

Breast Implants: Shape

There are two common implant shapes that patients usually consider when they start researching breast augmentation mammoplasty. These shapes are round and teardrop. In the past, there was a strong belief that round implants were suitable for women seeking an enhanced appearance, while teardrop implants were suited to patients seeking the sloping upper-pole aesthetic.

Over time, it became apparent that there was a key issue affecting women with teardrop breast implants. The implant is able to rotate in the pocket alongside the movement of the breast, and while it is not something that happens frequently, it is certainly something that can happen over time. As you can imagine, a teardrop implant rotating within the breast pocket would cause a visible distortion of the breast due to the irregular shape. In contrast, a round implant rotating within the pocket of the breast was undetectable due to the consistent shape at any angle. But what about patients that want a sloping look? How do they avoid the issue of visible rotation?

In response to this issue, Dr. Richardson opts to use the round Motiva implants for all his surgeries, alternating the specific gel to accommodate patient desires. For the patients that would usually be recommended a teardrop implant, the round Ergonomix implant is recommended. Not only does the round Ergonomix implant mimic the appearance of a teardrop implant, but in the event that the implant does rotate within the pocket, the gel within the implant shell will simply redistribute to sit in its desired position once more. For this reason, Dr. Richardson only uses round implants, and will choose a softer gel for those seeking the traditional teardrop look.

Conclusion

To conclude, implant type plays an important role in mitigating risk and preventing complications following surgery. This blog post aims to explain some of the key aspects of the breast implant, and explain why Brisbane Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Richardson chooses specific implant types for patients at his Hamilton and Sunshine Coast plastic surgery locations. If you have any questions regarding anything in this blog post, or would like to make an appointment with the Brisbane Breast Specialist, please do not hesitate to contact us to make an appointment.