My Stockholm Experience: Part 4

In Dr. Randquist’s practice, the implants he uses are not only textured, but the majority of them are also anatomically shaped. What this means is that the upper part of the implant is thinner, and the implant gets thicker towards the bottom, imitating the shape of a natural breast from a side view.

There are some advantages and disadvantages to anatomical implants. First of all, these implants have an orientation. As opposed to a round implant, which looks the same from all sides, the anatomical implants have a top and a bottom, so they need to be oriented properly. In the past, many plastic surgeons heard stories about implants shifting or rotating, requiring revision surgery. As I learned from Dr. Randquist, who has placed more than 4,000 pairs of textured anatomical implants, this is a very rare problem with proper pocket dissection.

Another issue with anatomical implants is the shape. Many American patients like a fuller look in the upper breast, whereas many European women like a softer look in the upper breast. What is right for the majority of Swedish women may not be right for the majority of American women. Furthermore, these implants may not be appropriate for patients who present for revision surgery (where there is already a dissected pocket that may be too large) or for women who need implants and a lift. As a result, I feel that the anatomical implants will be a good option for my primary patients seeking a very natural look with limited upper breast fullness, but I anticipate continuing to use many round implants as well.

The benefit of my experience with Dr. Randquist was to broaden my options in providing my patients the best possible results. Will I be using only textured anatomical implants for breast augmentation in Phoenix and Scottsdale? No. But I do feel that these implants will become a much more routine option for American patients, and any surgeon who does not keep these as a part of their surgical choices is limiting possibilities for patients. As surgeons, changing how we think about problems and expanding our skill sets can be a lot of effort at first, but this is ultimately how we grow and provide our patients with the best and most updated surgical options possible.