Our Experience With Transumbilical Breast Augmentation: Largest Published Series to Date With 2263 Patients

Abstract

Transumbilical Breast Augmentation (TUBA) represents a unique approach for breast augmentation (BA). The endoscopic-guided procedure allows for placement of saline breast implants above or below the pectoralis major muscle without placing any incisions on or near the breast. The procedure has not been widely adopted likely due to the high learning curve and the need for advanced endoscopic skills. In addition, silicone implants have increasingly become more popular than saline implants for multiple reasons over the years, which has naturally decreased the number of TUBA cases. Here, we present the largest series of TUBA cases performed at a single institution and present our standardized reproducible technique to promote wider application of TUBA in Cosmetic Surgery. This is a single-institution retrospective study that included 2263 patients (4526 implants) between 1994 and 2017. All cases were performed under tumescence anesthesia with monitored intravenous sedation. Operating time, conversion to another approach, early and late complications, and patient satisfaction were studied. Our data were compared with the available studies via an extensive literature review. In total, 2263 patients (4526 implants) were included in the study. There was 1 case that required unilateral intraoperative conversion to periareolar approach in the initial experience for technical difficulty. Five small postoperative hematomas occurred that were successfully treated with conservative management and did not require evacuation, and 4 out of 5 postoperative hematomas occurred in subpectoral BA and 1 occurred in subglandular BA. Average operating time was 45 minutes. Remote Grade III and IV capsular contracture occurred in 113 patients requiring capsulectomy through periareolar approach. There were 3 cases of superficial umbilical wound infection that occurred, 1 in subglandular BA and 2 in subpectoral BA. These cases were treated with oral antibiotics and local wound care. No implant infection occurred. There were 32 cases of mild asymmetry that were acceptable by patients and did not require a revision, 19 cases occurred in the subpectoral BA group, and 13 cases occurred in the subglandular BA group. The procedure yielded a very high satisfaction rate. TUBA is a safe and reproducible procedure for BA with short operative time, high patient satisfaction, and comparable outcomes with other approaches.