Breast Implant Clinical Studies

Breast implant information continued:

859 of the original 901 patients (95%) at 18 months were included in an analysis of cup size (5% did not provide data because pre/post measurements were not obtained or replacement/removal occurred prior to obtaining a post measurement). Of these 859 patients, the following shows the percentage of patients experiencing various changes in cup size:

Increase by 1 cup size: 38%
Increase by 2 cup sizes: 49%
Increase by 3 cup sizes: 9%
No Increase: 4%

683 of the original 901 patients (76%) were included in an analysis of satisfaction at 5 years (24% were not included because satisfaction data was not obtained or implant replacement/removal occurred prior to 5 years). Of these 683 patients, 95% indicated being satisfied with their breast implants at 5 years.

Before implantation, augmentation patients scored higher (better) than the general U.S. female population on the SF-36 and MOS-20 scales, which measure general health-related quality of life. After 3 years, augmentation patients showed a worsening in their SF-36 and MOS-20 scores. The following two scales showed no change over the 3 years: The Tennessee Self Concept Scale (which measures overall self concept) and The Body Esteem Scale (which measures overall self esteem related specifically to one's body). The Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (which measures overall self esteem) showed a slight improvement over the 3 years. The Semantic Differential Scale (which measures attitudes about your breasts compared to attitudes about yourself) showed that patients experienced an increased positive attitude towards their breasts compared to themselves.

BREAST AUGMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR BREAST AUGMENTATION
What Are the Alternatives to Breast Augmentation?

Accept your breasts as they are
Wear a padded bra or external prostheses

You are advised to wait a week after reviewing and considering this information before deciding whether to have augmentation surgery.

What Questions Should You Ask Your Surgeon About Breast Augmentation?

The following list of questions may help you to remind you of topics to discuss with your surgeon. You may have additional questions as well.
1. What are the risks and complications associated with having breast implants?
2. How many additional operations on my implanted breast(s) can I expect over my lifetime?
3. How will my breasts look if I decide to have the implants removed without replacement?
4. What shape, size, surface texturing, incision site, and placement site is recommended for me?
5. How will my ability to breast feed be affected?
6. How can I expect my implanted breasts to look over time?
7. How can I expect my implanted breasts to look after pregnancy? After breast feeding?
8. What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the cosmetic outcome of my implanted breasts?
9. What alternate procedures or products are available if I choose not to have breast implants?
10. Do you have before and after photos I can look at for each procedure and what results are reasonable for me?

Other Factors To Consider In Breast Augmentation
Choosing a Surgeon

When choosing an experienced surgeon who is experienced with breast implantation, you should know the answers to the following questions:
1. How many breast augmentation implantation procedures does he/she perform per year?
2. How many years has he/she performed breast implantation procedures?
3. Is he/she board certified, and if so, with which board?
4. In which states is he/she licensed to practice surgery? Note that some states provide information on disciplinary action and malpractice claims/settlements to prospective patients either by request or on the world wide web.
5. What is the most common complication he/she encounters with breast implantation?
6. What is his/her reoperation rate with breast implantation and what is the most common type of reoperation he/she performs?

Familiarize yourself with the following options in breast implant surgery and be prepared to discuss with your surgeon the following issues: