Dual-plane implant positioning for capsular contracture of the breast in combination with mastopexy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at combined surgical therapy options concerning patients with a clinically relevant and long-established capsular contracture following subglandular breast augmentation in a glandular ptotic breast.

METHODS: This is a review of 23 patients with capsular contracture. Three patients had a revision surgery for capsular contracture and implant dislocation before. The mean implant duration in the case of the twenty patients without any previous revision was 96 months. A revision implant has been re-located in a dual-plane position and further corrective surgery was carried out to adapt the glandular ptotic breast. Between 2001 and 2003, a chart review was performed on all patients for capsular contracture and ptotic breast by using the technique presented in this study.

RESULTS: In each case, the operation was performed as a one-stage procedure. The procedure included the following steps: Removal of the implant and total capsulectomy, preparation of an inferior de-epithelialised skin pedicle above the inframammary crease, release of the inferior origins of the pectoralis major muscle, creation of a new implant pocket by continuous connection of the inferior muscle border with the cranial edge of the inferior skin pedicle (dual-plane), adaptation of the soft-tissue/skin envelope by closing the cranial V over the implant coverage, preservation of the areola by creating a cranial or cranial medial pedicle. There was a follow-up for a period of up to 48 months, and any complication that occurred was documented. At follow-up period, all patients who had been implanted with a new implant pocket were free of a clinically relevant capsular contracture.

CONCLUSIONS: In the cases of a severe capsular contracture and glandular-ptotic breasts, we presented the surgical corrections of the parenchyma/skin envelop as a one-stage procedure following the establishment of a new implant pocket.