Simaplast prostheses: augmentation mammoplasty.

This silicone prosthesis was introduced in France in 1965. It comes in the shape of a balloon and six percent Dextran is utilized to fill these balloons up to the desired size. The advantage of this particular prosthesis is the ease with which it can be inserted, shorter operating time as compared to the insertion of the Cronin prosthesis, the natural feel of the prosthesis in the postoperative period and the fact that we have had very few complications such as serous extravasation, hematomas, infections, wound disruptions and skin necrosis. None have occurred in this particular group.Patients can return to work within four days with very little discomfort. There has been no report of any carcinogenic effect. All but one of our group of 15 were married and had children. This technique is only of use in women with small atrophic breasts.The interest to the family practitioner is that augmentation mammoplasty is playing a greater part in modern society. The sex symbol plays a part in this procedure and certainly modern clothing, which uses less and less cloth, makes female contours even more important in the mind of the woman who is less than standard proportion. Most do not want to wear padded brassieres and other built-in supports; they want to have something that appears to be part of their anatomy.