Transaxillary Breast Augmentation

What is transaxillary endoscopic breast augmentation?

Transaxillary endoscopic breast augmentation is a specialized kind of breast surgery done with an endoscope’s assistance – a video camera of sorts – to navigate from the armpit to the chest area. The use of an endoscope brings about two main advantages: (1) It creates a precise, clean pocket unlike that made during a traditional transaxillary approach – usually done blindly and bluntly; and (2) It minimizes bleeding and soft tissue trauma during dissection. The incision made is small and hidden in the armpit’s depths and usually only about an inch long.

The Best Candidates for Transaxillary Breast Augmentation

Most women who qualify for a more traditional breast augmentation approach also qualify for its specialized counterpart. Those who decide to make a switch to the transaxillary technique usually cite the desire for a scar-free post-augmentation look on their breasts, preferring to leave scars in the armpits where they can be easily hidden as they heal.
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Types of Implants Used in Transaxillary Breast Augmentation

There are no specific implant types prescribed by surgeons for transaxillary use, per se. But a good number of doctors note that saline implants, as opposed to silicone types, are easier to manipulate in size and maneuver through a limited opening such as that found in the axilla or armpit.

Saline implants can be filled during surgery while already inside the body. However, silicone implants come pre-filled by manufacturers and, therefore, cannot be deflated or inflated to a custom size. It means that there is a maximum silicone volume that can be inserted through the remote incision.

Most surgeons prefer to do a submuscular placement as it reduces the risk of developing capsular contracture and makes for a more secure niche for the implant. Looking even further, implants put under pectoral muscles have a lower chance of bottoming out precisely because of the muscle wall’s support.
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Risks Associated with Transaxillary Breast Augmentation

There are myths, long-debunked but persist, that armpit incisions give way to more infection. But numerous studies have shown that the incidence of infection is low and remains at the same level as when other kinds of incisions are used.

Worries of nerve, muscular, and other physiological damage are unnecessary because Dr. Kendall Roehl and Dr. Patrick Hsu perform transaxillary breast augmentation with care for the armpit’s deeper structures. Nerves and lymph nodes, among other parts, are not affected. The endoscope increases surgeons’ awareness and helps them make even more precise cuts and paths from one point to the other.

Mammograms, especially for those aged 40 and above at greater risk for breast cancer, should be continued after surgery for early detection and subsequent treatment.

If you experience fever, noticeable swelling, or redness in your newly augmented breasts, contact your surgeon immediately.

Preparing for Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Surgery

• Avoid smoking at least two months before and after your procedure to facilitate healing better. During the consultation, do not hesitate to discuss this and other vices with your doctor openly.
• Disclose medications, supplements, and herbs you are currently taking to avoid problems, such as those connected to bleeding due to aspirin or ibuprofen intake during and after your procedure. Let your doctor figure out which you can continue taking and which you should avoid before surgery.
• While exercise is generally good for overall health, it is advised to avoid vigorous exertions the day before your breast augmentation surgery.
• Eat a healthy diet to build up your immune system in the weeks or months leading to your procedure. However, patients are advised not to eat or drink anything, including water, beginning at midnight on the day of surgery.
• Take a thorough shower and disinfect surgical areas with microbial soap. Do not wear make-up, moisturizers, oils, creams, lotions, and deodorants.
• Remove nail polish, if you wear it, from at least one fingernail and toenail to help your anesthesiologist monitor blood circulation during surgery.
• Dress in loose-fitting clothes that open in the front and comfortable flat shoes that can easily be slipped on and off.

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Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Procedure Length

A typical breast augmentation procedure lasts between one to two hours. Because of the specialized nature of this type of breast augmentation, an additional hour is needed to make the incision in the armpit and successfully lead the implant from that entry point towards each breast. The incision is about an inch long and easily blends in with the natural creases of the axilla.

After Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Surgery

With surgery completed, so begins the recovery process. Just as you took care of yourself before and as your doctor did during your breast augmentation procedure, the same care is needed to ensure that your body heals under the best possible conditions.

It is perfectly normal to feel fatigued and sore for several days after the operation, making the rest of the utmost importance. There can also be feelings of tightness in the breast area as the skin adjusts to its new size and implants’ presence. Patients may also experience numbness of the breasts and nipples during the first few days of recovery.

Dr. Roehl and Dr. Hsu may recommend light breast massage or other exercises to speed up recovery and alleviate discomfort. Patients may be asked to wear a post-operative bra, compression bandage, or jog bra for extra support and positioning for a certain period following surgery. Most women can return to work within a few days after their breast augmentation procedure.

Some patients have raised concerns regarding pain management and how transaxillary incision-related pain fares against those caused by periareolar and crease incisions. Pain from breast augmentation surgery varies from patient to patient but normally lasts five to seven days and is controlled with pain relief medications. The misconception is that the incision causes the pain. But doctors are quick to explain that it is usually related to the placement of implants underneath the muscle regardless of the type of cut.

Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Recovery Time

Your breasts may remain swollen and sensitive to physical contact for at least a month after surgery, so best to avoid any strenuous activities which could raise your blood pressure or which may require considerable use of force in your arms and chest. Doctors advise that patients carry no more than 10 pounds during the recovery period and only necessary.

Transaxillary Breast Augmentation Scarring

Most women choose the armpit incision to avoid easily visible scars on the breasts. Because traditional approaches require that cuts be made in the inframammary fold or around the nipple. Patients – especially smaller-breasted ones – are left with limited options to hide or disguise scars.

Firsthand accounts from patients themselves reveal that transaxillary incisions are believed to heal even better than periareolar and crease types.

Armpit care after breast augmentation surgery is fairly simple. The area should be washed once a day in conjunction with antibiotic ointment (e.g., Neosporin and Bacitracin). Stitches dissolve without the need for further procedures around two to three weeks after surgery. Deodorant use can be resumed in a week and shaving in two weeks but with care.

Your New Look After Transaxillary Breast Augmentation

Though few, there are instances when small adjustments are deemed necessary for patients to feel that their expectations have been satisfactorily met. Aggressive massaging will usually suffice. When it proves not to be enough, surgery can be re-done through the original armpit incision. Some of the more common corrective surgeries involve increasing implant size and replacing a leaking implant.
In severe instances, such as when capsular contracture occurs, a separate incision on the breast may be done to remove the scar tissue.

Whether your motivations lie in enhancing your appearance or correcting a physical defect, the results from breast augmentation surgery are often encouraging for most women who elect for it. One of the most cited benefits is an improved self-image – something that no woman can ever have enough of.

At doctor-recommended intervals, routine mammograms are advised throughout the recovery process and even after incisions have healed to ensure complications are avoided or corrected early.