Abstract
Background: Thanks to 3D imaging, it is possible to measure the influence of different parameters on breast augmentation. In this study, we compare the effect of different shapes and sizes of breast implants on the topography of the resulting breast. Furthermore, the impact of different breast implants on inter-landmark distances and on changes of the nipple position was assessed. Methods: This interventional prospective study was carried out on 10 female patients after collecting informed consent. 3D scans of the native and augmented breasts were performed intraoperatively with small, medium, and large sizes of both anatomical and round implants, resulting in a total of n = 130 single breast scans. These scans were analyzed for topographic shift quantification, nipple migration, and inter-landmark distances of the breast. Results: Implant size, but not implant shape leads to significant topographic shifts of the breast (p < 0.001 and p = 0.900, respectively). Both round and anatomical implants lead to a significantly higher volumetric increase in the upper quadrants compared to the lower quadrants (p < 0.001). Nipple migration into the superomedial quadrant was seen in about 90% of augmentations. No evident differences in inter-landmark distances were observed when round and anatomical implants of different sizes were compared. Conclusions: Implant size rather than shape influences the postoperative aesthetic results. No significant difference in topographic shift was found comparing round and anatomical implants, suggesting that both implant shapes result in comparable aesthetic outcomes.
Highlights
In the past decade, the introduction of new technologies for the digital measurement of the surface of bodies in three-dimensions (3D) has offered new possibilities for numerically recording the parameters which influence the shape of the female breast in the course of breast augmentation
It is important to consider that the breast implant market is huge and there are many companies producing implants of different shapes, materials, and consistencies
2D image-based software has been proposed for instance by Cardoso et al and Longo et al as an objective form of preoperative breast volume assessment and as potential breast cosmesis tools that could be used in clinical trials and in surgical evaluation [28,29], we aimed to increase the accuracy of such software by adding another dimension. 3D-models allow for an objective representation of breast topography from different perspectives and could be included in such software and apps
Summary
The introduction of new technologies for the digital measurement of the surface of bodies in three-dimensions (3D) has offered new possibilities for numerically recording the parameters which influence the shape of the female breast in the course of breast augmentation. These recordings support the surgeons in their planning and decisionmaking [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The impact of different breast implants on inter-landmark distances and on changes of the nipple position was assessed
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