Inferior pedicle autoaugmentation mastopexy after breast implant removal.

[BACKGROUND] A new method of autoaugmentation mammaplasty is presented to correct ptosis and to increase the projection and volume of the breast in patients who would like a reposition augmentation mammaplasty after breast implant removal but do not want a new implant.

[METHODS] Between 1999 and 2007, a total of 27 patients (age = 54 +/- 7.3 years) underwent mammaplasty using an inferior-based flap of deepithelialized subcutaneous and breast tissue modularized to its pedicle which was inserted beneath a superior pedicle used for correction of ptosis and to increase the projection and apparent volume of the breast.

[RESULTS] The results confirmed that autoaugmentation mammaplasty of the breast following removal of the implant yields longstanding results. It corrects ptosis and increases the projection and apparent volume of the breast when mastopexy is planned without use of a new implant. Twelve months after surgery the degree of descent of the inframammary fold generally parallels that of the nipple. The mean level of the inframammary fold was below the mean level of the nipple. Postoperatively, the optimum distance had been largely achieved.

[CONCLUSION] The advantages of the technique presented here are that it minimizes the skin scar in cases using vertical mammaplasty techniques and optimizes the breast shape after breast implant removal in patients who do not want a new implant.