TUBA Breast Augmentation
TUBA Breast augmentation is a common acronym for Transumbilical Breast Augmentation surgery. TUBA Breast Augmentation surgery has become one of the preferred methods of breast augmentation surgery with many surgeons simply because it is an alternative that provides for very little scar tissue and what scar tissue does exist, is hidden.
What is TUBA Breast Augmentation Surgery
The procedure commonly referred to as TUBA is a breast augmentation surgery that inserts the breast implant via the umbilicus, navel or belly button. There is no cut made under the breast so there will be no scar tissue anywhere near the breast when the surgery is complete. That is the main downfall of traditional breast augmentation surgery is that it will leave a scar beneath your freshly enhanced breasts and that is not acceptable to many women.
TUBA Breast augmentation has proven itself to be less invasive than other forms of augmentation surgery as well as being faster and of course, no visible scars on the breasts or in the armpit. It seems that TUBA surgery can be very polarizing with some surgeons, in that many who are not skilled in this procedure will scoff at it being safer or less invasive but the surgeons and patients that are knowledgeable in this arena seem to agree that this procedure is a better choice, at least for them.
TUBA Breast Augmentation Advantages
- No visible scar tissue on the breast or in the armpit.
- Allows for a larger implant due to no tension on the stitches in the traditional suture line.
- Shorter recovery time due to lack of incision or size of incision.
- Less likely to produce infection post op.
- 30 to 45 minute surgery procedure – less time under anesthesia
- Only 1/2 teaspoon of blood lost during the procedure, just from the small navel incision.
Overall the TUBA procedure is faster, offers shorter recovery time than traditional augmentation surgery and may be a great choice for you. Consult your doctor for their recommendations. There are some downsides to the surgery but they are few. In a some cases the tunnels created up through the navel to the breast pocket fail to reattach to the fatty tissue and can leave a visible trail across the stomach. There will also be some pain during the recovery period as with all breast augmentation surgeries but since there is less trauma with this type of surgery, then the pain and recovery period is less and shorter than with traditional surgery.
Tuba Breast Augmentation Surgery Process
T.U.B.A. Breast augmentation is typically completed in under an hour and is most often complete in 20 to 30 minutes from start to finish. It is typically performed under intravenous (IV) sedation combined with traditional local anesthesia. The IV sedation drugs will promote sleep, memory loss, immobility and will block the ability to feel pain.
Prior to surgery, your doctor will mark you up with a marking pen to locate where the tunnels will be created under the skin and how they will locate the breast implant. The procedure itself basically involves making a small incision in the navel, approximately 1″ to 1 1/2″ long. Once access to your inside has been accomplished, the doctor will take a “tunneling” tool that creates a small passageway from the navel up to the breast pocket. This tool is designed to seperate the fatty tissue from the muscle, just wide enough to be able to pass the breast implant through the tunnel.
Once both tunnels are created then the doctor will use another tool that will create the breast pocket where the implant will be physically be placed. This is called a tissue expander and creates the necessary room for the enlarged breast implant that is soon to be in place. The next step is to utilize another tool that will transport the breast implant up through the tunnels and into the breast pocket. The entire process will be observed via an endoscope which is basically a small internal camera that allows the doctor to see inside your body and allow him/her to correctly place the implant.
Once the implants are properly placed then they will be filled with saline via an electric pump. The doctor will pump the predetermined amount of saline into the breast implant and massage it for proper fill, shape and form. The breast will literally expand right before your very eyes and pump up almost like a car tire. Most surgeons will sit you up after this procedure to allow the saline to settle into the implant and make sure it takes the right shape. If necessary then the saline will be increased or decreased as necessary to obtain the desired size and shape.
T.U.B.A Breast Augmentation Recovery
Recovery from TUBA Breast Augmentation surgery will vary depending on the patient but for most patients you will awaken with minimal pain and discomfort compared to some of the more traditional surgeries that you have seen completed in videos on the internet. This is mainly due to the lower amount of internal invasion and the lack of blood loss and small incisions. Again, this varies by patient but this is typical.
Many patients are ready to leave within 30 minutes to an hour and head home for follow up care. It is common that some discomfort will start to appear once the local anesthetic begins to wear off. Manageable levels of pain will appear in the days following the surgery, especially if you had your implants placed under the muscle. This type of surgery creates more trauma inside the breast than over the muscle but the level of pain that you will experience is not anything that will not be manageable via medication provided by your doctor.
Typically you will return the very next day to your doctor for a follow up exam and to have your dressings removed. The only incision that will need to heal is the small cut in your navel. This is a huge advantage to traditional breast augmentation surgery where the incisions need to remain dry for several days following the surgery.
TUBA Breast Augmentation Myths
It would seem that there are many myths around TUBA breast augmentation surgery. A few of the most common questions around TUBA breast augmentation surgery are listed below along with the actual truth.
- You cannot place the implant under the muscle with TUBA surgery – Absolutely False. Many doctors can and many doctors cannot. If this surgery is for you then find a doctor that has the training to accomplish what you need.
- TUBA is scarless - Not true, there will be a scar but it will be hidden inside your navel.
- Asymmetry is an issue with TUBA Breast Augmentation – No more so than any augmentation surgery. A skilled doctor will do the job correctly while an unskilled doctor may not.
- TUBA has a milder healing process than other augmentation surgeries – True. Fewer incisions and less trauma mean a shorter recovery time and less pain during recovery for most patients.
- TUBA Breast implant surgery will void the warranty from the manufacturer – Absolutely false. This is a very common misconception about this type of surgery and is simply not true. The manufacturers warranty is in full effect.
- Silicone Implants are not available via TUBA surgery – This is true. These implants are prefilled from the manufacturer and cannot be passed up through the tunnels properly.
TUBA Breast Augmentation Before and After Photos
The following photos show you some of the patients that have experienced great success with the TUBA breast augmentation procedure. If you are considering this surgery, then consult your surgeon for details and make the best decision that you can.
Breast Augmentation Recovery Time
Many women who are about to undergo breast augmentation wonder about what the recovery period will be like and rightfully so. Breast Augmentation recovery time will vary by person, sometimes dramatically but we can share with you some of the most common issues that you can expect as you recover from breast augmentation surgery.
Post Breast Augmentation Surgery
When you wake up from breast augmentation surgery you can expect a range of issues ranging from mildly annoying to sometimes severe. You will be closely monitored by a recovery room nurse until you have recovered from the anesthesia, which varies by person but at least 2 hours is a reasonable minimum expectation. It is quite common for women to experience some or all of the following symptoms.
- Soreness and general disorientation from the anesthesia
- Blurred Vision
- Feeling of coldness – may be caused by the ice packs or operating room temperature or medication.
- Nausea
Make sure that even though these symptoms are normal that you express them with the nurse or the surgeon and make sure they are aware of your discomfort. They can often remedy it quite easily either with medication or something as simple as a blanket to keep you warm. There is no reason to suffer in silence.
Post Breast Augmentation Surgery Care
Most surgeons will suggest icing your breasts post surgery to keep the swelling and discomfort to a minimum. It is typical that they ask you to ice your breasts (cold compress works great) for approximately 48 hours after surgery. This can give you the chills as discussed above but it is necessary to keep the swelling at bay. If an unusual level of discomfort exists from the ice compress then consult your doctor.
Many surgeons will install a small drain in the incision to make sure any body fluids created from the surgery can drain from the breast. This is a short term inconvenience and discomfort but the drains are necessary and will be removed typically on your first follow up visit to the doctor. The drains can reduce and improve the breast augmentation recovery time, making it worth the irritation.
Breast Augmentation Incision Care
Caring for your incisions during your breast augmentation recovery time is important and will impact how much, if any, of a scar you are left with once you are healed. The main issue is simply to make sure they remain clean and dry. Your surgeon may have covered your incisions with steri-strips aka surgery tape to keep them dry or if you have an internal suture line then they still may have covered them with tape.
It is important to keep this area clean and dry and do not use any lotion, creme, body wash or any foreign liquid to come into contact with this area. It is possible that you could end up with an infection if you are not careful and that is nothing that you want to mess with during your breast augmentation recovery time.
Temperature and Medications
As you are recovering from breast augmentation surgery you want to remain diligent in watching for infection and/or other issues. It is recommended that you take your temperature regularly and if you see any abnormal fluctuation then contact your physician for direction, especially if you start to run a fever.
It is also important that you take ALL of the medication that is prescribed to you. It is not uncommon for patients to assume they are ok when they start to recover and stop taking their antibiotics. Take every single antibiotic pill prescribed to you until they are gone, unless otherwise directed by your surgeon. You are better safe than sorry when it comes to infections of any kind and antibiotics are one of your best defenses.
Pain During Breast Augmentation Recovery Time
It is pretty much a given that you are going to experience some pain and discomfort during your breast augmentation recovery. How much and to what degree varies largely by person and it is hard to predict how bad yours will be. Breast implants that are placed over the muscle are typically less painful and have a shorter recovery time than breast implants placed under the muscle. I wouldn’t let this sway which type you get but simply understand what to expect.
You can expect some degree of breast swelling for as long as 3 to 4 months after surgery. It will improve rapidly in the first week or two post surgery and then slowly work its way out of your body as time goes by. It is recommended that you drink a lot of water, cut back on salt and include some very moderate exercise to your breast augmentation recovery period. This will help work the swelling out of your body more quickly.
If you experience any massive or sudden swelling after you have left the hospital then consult your physician immediately.
Sleeping During Breast Augmentation Recovery
Sleeping with your new breasts during your recovery period can be difficult, especially if you aren’t used to sleeping on your back. It is recommended that you sleep on your back with your upper body slightly elevated to reduce swelling and ease the pressure on your new breasts.
This can be quite difficult for some but it is an adjustment you will have to make. The first night out of the hospital, it is common to have a very difficult time sleeping for more than an hour or two before waking but you should improve nightly after that first night.
Bathing During Breast Augmentation Recovery
As we mentioned above, you will need to keep your sutures clean and dry, which means you cannot shower during the recovery period until you have your sutures removed. You can take a bath as long as you are careful to keep your sutures dry.
Another point of note is that most surgeons will tell you not to raise your hands over your head during recovery, which makes washing your hair very difficult. Make sure you get a good scrub in the night before surgery and this will help minimize the hair issue. The good news is that you won’t be a social butterfly while you are recovering anyways so this is unlikely to be a big issue for most.
Breast Augmentation Recovery Exercise
One of the most concerning issues for any post-op patient is blood clots. These little buggers can be deadly and it is not uncommon for surgery patients to experience them. For this reason, it is recommended that you get up and walk as soon as soon as you are able post surgery to keep your blood circulating and moving throughout your body. Your doctor should give you a very specific set of instructions on how much and what type of exercise to engage in post surgery but simply walking around usually suffices for most to keep clots at bay.
It is not recommended that you engage in any kind of strenuous exercise that could tax your system or that might risk you making an impact with another person or the ground. In either event, you are asking for trouble from your new breasts.
Breast Augmentation Recovery Issues
You may experience two different issues when it comes to your nipples and it is hard to predict which one will strik you. Some women report a temporary loss of sensation in their nipples during the recovery phase while others report hypersensitivity. One extreme to the other, both are usually temporary but if you experience either one, make sure you report it to your physician.
You may also experience some gurgling. Yes I said gurgling. It is not uncommon for your new breasts to make noise during the recovery period. Trapped air bubbles or pockets of fluid will work themselves up and out of your breasts during the days following breast augmentation surgery. Don’t be alarmed but if you experience anything other than very mild discomfort, report it to your physician. The “gurgling” effect can last for a couple of weeks post surgery.
Breast Augmentation Recovery Breast Appearance
Many women cannot wait to admire their new breasts following breast augmentation surgery and quite frankly, that is understandable. You need to understand though that your breasts will sit quite high and appear quite firm in the weeks following surgery. Some women become alarmed at how high they appear and by the appearance but your doctor will give you exercises to perform that will soften the breast and allow them to hang more naturally with a little bit of time.
This can vary dramatically based on implant size of course, but for most implants, this is what you can expect. Many doctors will recommend some kind of wrap or strap that will put slightl downward pressure on the breasts and help the implant to settle into a more natural position.
It is also quite common to experience some moderate itching and discomfort from your skin during the recovery time as well. The skin of your breasts has been stretched significantly and the itching is a side effect. It will diminish and disappear with time as your skin stretches around your new physique.
TransUmbilical Breast Augmentation
What is Transumbilical Breast Augmentation?
Transumbilical Breast Augmentation – also referred to as TUBA - is a procedure that was developed in the early 1990′s by Dr. Gerald Johnson as a means to insert breast implants with out leaving any visible scars on or around the actual breast,. He discovered through his experience of inserting breast implants through tummy tuck incisions (abdominoplasty) that he could use an endoscope to tunnel to the breast from a small incision located in the upper fold the belly button. This method also allowed the procedure to be completed with just one incision.
Transumbilical Breast Augmentation breast implants initially were placed under the breast tissue but above the chest muscle. As doctor’s experience with Transumbilical Breast Augmentation became more frequent, doctors realized that they could also place the implants under the chest muscle, which is sometimes a desirable alternative for women who are thin, and have somewhat little breast tissue present to cover the implant.
How is Transumbilical Breast Augmentation Performed?
The Transumbilical Breast Augmentation procedure is performed under general anesthesia. First a small incision is made in the fold of skin overlying the belly button, thereby hiding any left over scar that may otherwise be visible. A surgical instrument known as an obturator is then used to tunnel under the skin up to the breast crease level (this obturator will keep the tunnel path open that the endoscope will need to take.)
In cases where the breast implant will be placed under the breast tissue, the dissection is made in the loose connective tissue on top of the muscle between the muscle and breast tissue. If the breast implant is to be placed under the breast muscle, then the dissection is made in the loose connective tissue area under the chest muscle.
The endoscope is then inserted so as to confirm the correct plane of dissection. This is then followed by a breast implant sizer (shaped in a “taco” type roll form) and guided up the tunnel into the dissection (pocket) created. Normal sterile saline solution then inflates the implant sizer to a size slightly larger than the final implant to be placed, thereby allowing for refinement of the breast pocket.
The same Transumbilical Breast Augmentation procedure is then performed on the opposite breast, noting any asymmetries. The implant sizers are then deflated and removed, however the small tubes are left exiting from the belly button incision so that small adjustments can be made to equalize the breast size by varying the amount of saline placed in each implant. Once at their desirable size, the tubes are gently pulled out of the self-sealing implnat valves and the valve covers seat over the valves to ensure proper closure. The single belly button incision is then closed up with dis-solvable sutures, and a light compression dressing is placed over the suture.
What is the Recovery Time for Transumbilical Breast Augmentation?
Recovery time needed to return to normal daily activities after having Trans Umbilical Breast Augmentation is typically 2-7 days for implants placed over the breast muscle, and typically 4-7 days for implants placed under the breast muscle. Total healing time is typically six to twelve months, however the patient may return to normal exercise typically within two to three weeks.
Are There any Risks with Transumbilical Breast Augmentation?
While saline breast implants have a documented safety record, you need to be aware that all breast implants are not permanent. Over extended time, the breast implant wall or valve will “tire out” and potentially leak. Being as they are filled with sterile saline solution however, which is similar to one’s own natural body fluids, the saline will be reabsorbed by the body with no adverse affects.
You will be happy to know that all breast implant manufacturers currently offer lifetime warranties for their breast implants and will replace any deflated breast implant that fails as a result of normal “wear and tear.” As well, if the breast implant fails within the first five year period, most manufacturers will typically pay anywhere between $1,000.00 to 1,200.00 towards your replacement breast implant. And you can replace the breast implant using the Transumbilical Breast Augmentation approach.
Breast Implant Removal
If you are searching for information on breast implant removal then you likely here for one of the three following reasons, either your breasts have changed size or shape, you may have experienced an implant leak or rupture or possibly capsular contracture.
Reasons for Breast Implant Removal Surgery
If you look at the statistics from the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 230,000 women underwent breast augmentation surgery in 2003; approximately 41,000 underwent breast implant removal surgeries. This procedure, often referred to as as explantation, and can be performed to either decrease the size of the breast implant or to make room for a new implant.
Breast Implant removal is often necessary for the following issues:
- deflation or rupture
- shifting
- implant wrinkling
- sagging
- asymmetry
Or it is quite possible that you will need to have breast implant removal surgery performed due to the way your body reacted to the breast implants. This can happen soon after surgery or many years later, it is not exclusive to a certain time period.
- bleeding
- infection
- diagnosis of breast cancer
- formation of scar tissue that can tighten around the actual implant ( aka capsular contracture)
- necrosis, or the formation of dead tissue around the implant, which may prevent wound healing
- calcium deposits
Breast Implant Removal Procedure
The actual Breast implant removal surgery is performed under either general anesthesia or possibly local anesthesia combined with IV sedation. In most cases, the actual procedure usually takes approximately 30 minutes to an hour and is performed in an outpatient type surgical center. The operation is performed through an incision in fold under the breast or a peri-areolar incision otherwise known as through the nipple. Once access is gained to the implant, your surgeon will carefully remove your old breast implants.
Breast Implant Removal Recovery
In most cases, recovery from breast implant removal surgery is fairly fast with many patients being able to return to moderate normal activity within just a few days and reasonable full level of activity within three weeks. Complete and total recovery will still take a few months but most patients are able to function easily within just a few days. It is common to experience mild discomfort and some swelling and bruising for the first few days but improvement comes rapidly. A small number of patients may suffer from some of the following side effects although it is not common: varying degrees of loss of nipple sensation; scarring internally or externally; bleeding; and loose skin.
Removal of Larger Breast Implants
Larger breast implants can present a few challenges that a more normal sized implant removal may not suffer from. There have been the occasional case of women who had larger implants that were usually inserted on top of the muscle and under the breast glands, being left with moderate to major cosmetic deformities in their breasts, especially if they do not opt to either replace the old breast implant or opt for further cosmetic surgery to correct the deformity. Larger implants more commonly create tissue atrophy and chest wall deformity when the breast implant is removed.
Another side effect is that your breasts may end up being smaller than they were prior to surgery due to hormonal changes in your body or even in some cases, weight loss. Unfortunately sagging of the breast tissue may become more apparent after breast implant removal surgery. It is best to consult your doctor for their recommendations on how to proceed if this is a larg concern for you.
Emotional Effects of Breast Implant Removal Surgery
All women are different and react to breast implant removal surgery differently but it should be noted that some women have reported to suffer from psychological issues after breast implant removal. The mental effect of the change in their body’s shape and appearance can affect some women as deeply as a mastectomy might affect others. It should be noted that it is quite normal to experience some level of sadness after undergoing such a drastic transformation of their body and it is recommended that women should consult treatment from a professional if these extreme feelings do not subside within some reasonable sort of time frame.
All women are different and will react differently to breast implant removal so it is hard to say exactly how it will effect you. We can only share what is commonly experienced in prior women who have undergone this surgery.
Breast Implant Removal Photos
In the images below, we show you three examples of before and after breast implant removal surgery. These pictures are only meant to serve as a reference or point of interest and is no guarantee that your breasts would respond similarly or would look the same. Consult your physician for specifics on your particular case.
In each of the three photos, the top image is with breast implants and then the pictures below show the progress that the breasts make after breast implant removal surgery.
