Breast Augmentation Surgery Prep: Getting The Patient Ready

The prep done for breast augmentation surgery is a crucial element of the overall procedure. The first thing that needs to be done is the markings for the procedure. You will be marked for the operation- literally. The cosmetic surgeon will make markings on your bosom and the regions in the nearby vicinity that will be affected by the cutting. There will be incision marks, and general measurements that the doctor will use as a guide when the procedure is underway.

The anesthesia for the breast augmentation comes next as does the preparation for the procedure. You will be administered either general anesthesia or local sedation by way of IV. The site for the operation will then be cleansed and disinfected and from there, a topical antibiotic solution will be applied.

The next step in the breast augmentation procedure is the incisions. The incision sites are determined by the placement option chosen. Electric cautery is used to reduce the bleeding that occurs.

The surgeon then creates a pocket and it is shaped to accept the implant. Suitable placement and pocket shaping is critical to the successful result of implant surgery.

The implants are then introduced into the pockets and then they are filled with saline solution. They must be rolled up before they are placed and then they are filled up once they have been placed inside the breasts. The surgeon will fill them up to the amount that is desired by the patient. If the patient has chosen silicone implants then they are placed into the body in their pre-filled state. For this reason silicone implant patients must decide the size they wish to have before the operation date.

The plastic surgeon must be as precise and as careful as possible in his handling of every aspect of the procedure. He must check the implants to guarantee that they have been properly placed and he also must be sure that the symmetry is correct. To do this the doctor must place the patient in an upright posture on the table and from this vantage point the surgeon will then be able to examine the placement of the implants before doing the sutures. If he feels that an adjustment must be made to the pocket placement or to the amount of solution of the implants then this change can be made at that moment.

The breast augmentation operation is drawing to a close at this point. Next comes the closing of the incisions. For some patients drains will be put into the body at the site of the incisions before the last suture is completed. This is done to prevent the build-up of fluid. If a drain is used then it will most likely be removed at the first pre-op visit.