Subfascial Breast Implant Placement Overview

With the advances in plasticsurgery, there are many available surgical techniques in breast augmentation to accommodate a specific anatomical feature, achieve the goals and expectations of a patient, create the most natural result possible, and minimize the risk of complications.

Nowadays, there are many breast implant placement techniques available to patients, although the most popular are the submuscular (the device is placed behind the muscles) and subglandular (the device is placed behind the tissues).

Meanwhile, there is a new technique called subfascial breast implant placement which is a compromise between submuscular and subglandular methods; it combines the benefits of the two primary placement options while eliminating the disadvantages associated with them.

The subfascial technique greatly resembles the subglandularimplant placement, with one major difference.  While the pectoral muscle is not touched, the fibrous fascia tissue is dissected from its front wall in order to place the breast implants beneath this layer.

Perhaps one of the possible advantages of subfascial implant placement is that it can isolate the device from the breast tissue, which leads to greater accuracy during mammogram examination.

Another benefit is the shorter recovery because the chest muscles are not disturbed, which is the case in submuscular implant placement.  And for this reason, patients can also expect less swelling, bruising, pain, tenderness, and other postoperative symptoms.

In terms of breast appearance, the technique provides a very natural result because it mimics the innate movement and contour of the tissue.  In addition, it provides added support from the strong fascia layer.

And unlike the subglandular implant placement, the subfascial technique prevents the risk of visible and palpable wrinkling because there is a fibrous fascia that provides coverage to the implant shell.

While the subfascial placement can lower the risk of capsular contracture (hardening of the scar tissue around the implants) compared with the subglandualr technique, it is not as effective as the submuscular implant placement which completely isolates the breast implants from the tissue, which is believed to harbor high levels of bacteria that can potentially increase the risk of complication.

Advocates of this new implant technique believe it works well for patients with small breasts and limited amounts of fats and tissue who want to achieve a smooth and natural-looking bust after breast augmentation surgery.

But for those who want to further minimize the risk of implant visibility, the submuscular implant placement is still the best technique.