A recap of the topics I've covered in the last 12 months. Choose your own adventure!
We owe our patients the right to choose an explant, just as they would choose another aesthetic procedure. We then own them a duty to perform that procedure to the best of our ability, with the same expectations as they might have of any other aesthetic procedure.
Galaflex is a dissolving mesh that can be used in breast surgery to support and control the breast tissues and breast implants over time.
Implant revision surgery is all about re-establishing control of the breast shape and the implant position. We normally recommend a smaller implant to achieve this goal.
Can breast implant removal be performed safely whilst breastfeeding? Will the outcomes be the same, or worse?
Breast implant surgery and fat transfer are very different procedures and direct comparisons are often not helpful.
Chronic discomfort and pain associated with breast implants is far more common than you think.
Most patients considering explant surgery are looking for an answer to just one question: What will I look like afterwards?
Fat grafting is a useful technique, but can it ever be used to completely reconstruct a breast after a mastectomy for cancer?
Drains are not required for most breast surgery operations including explant. So why do so many surgeons persist in using them?
What cup size you will be after breast reduction surgery is a question without a simple answer. How do we measure breast size, and how do we know what the impact of breast reduction surgery will be?
Explant-related harm seems to be increasing as opportunistic surgeons hunt out new "commercial opportunities".
The "internal bra" is a common term used on social media and plastic surgery websites, but what does it mean and why does it matter?
Breast reduction surgery is increasingly common for young women. Whilst it can be life changing surgery, there are a number of issues that warrant careful consideration before having a breast reduction.
Can you trust online reviews and ratings of plastic surgeons?
You can tell a lot by the "feel" of a surgeon's website or social media posts. Most people can tell when the stuff they read is authentic and when it is just marketing copy.
“En-bloc” is an incorrect term, but it is simply reflective of patients using the best words they have available to them to ask for what they want.
The 60-minutes expose of appalling practices in cosmetic clinics is essential viewing for any prospective patient.
Do you want your surgeon to be "super-specialised", or are you happy with a surgeon who will just "have a go"? The difference could mean everything.
For better or worse, breast reconstruction choices are heavily influenced by the information presented to patients by their surgeons and nurses.