Revisional Surgery - Introduction

The popularity of breast surgery has significantly increased over the last 20 years. As the number of women who undergo procedures increases, so does the number of women who end up with a suboptimal result. Accordingly, a subspecialty has arisen within plastic surgery, aimed at patients who are unhappy with the results of their previous breast surgery.


Often, the basic techniques of breast surgery have not been applied. The plastic surgeon must therefore have extensive experience in order to adequately resolve problems that have been created. He or she may need to use the full range of breast reconstruction options in order to provide optimal patient care and achieve the best possible results.


Revisionary breast surgery poses a significant challenge for the plastic surgeon as large amounts of scar tissue may have formed and the anatomy may be distorted. The presence of scar tissue significantly alters soft tissue consistency. Therefore, although a second operation can produce a better result, it will often not be able to create a completely natural looking breast. It is very important that you discuss the surgical strategy with your surgeon and you understand what can be achieved by a further operation.


In this chapter, we will mainly discuss the management of late complications which arise after breast surgery. The chapter is divided according to the initial procedure performed, namely, breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift and breast reconstruction.