Some women shy away from breast augmentation because they worry about the scarring that might be left behind after the procedure. The good news is that when women choose Dr. Mashhadian at Rodeo Surgical Art for their breast surgery, they can choose a scar-free option known as transumbilical breast augmentation or TUBA. While this technique offers numerous benefits for patients, it is not performed by many cosmetic surgeons at this time. Dr. Mashhadian is one of the few in the Southern California region that offer this option.
WHAT IS TUBA?
TUBA is breast augmentation that is performed through the navel, using special tools to place the implants from the incision into the breast pocket. Since the only incision is made through the belly button, there is no visible scarring after the procedure. Due to the small size of the incision and the tools used to place the implants, only saline implants are an option for TUBA. The implant shells are placed into the breast tissue and then filled with a sterile saline solution.
BENEFITS OF TUBA
There are a number of potential benefits TUBA offers patients over traditional methods of breast augmentation:
- No visible scarring on the breast or in the armpit after surgery
- Lower risk of sensation loss in the breast after surgery
- Greater likelihood breastfeeding will be possible after surgery
- Less disruption to breast tissue during the procedure
- Lower risk of infection due to distance between incision and implant
- Faster and more comfortable recovery for most patients
ABOUT THE PROCEDURE
TUBA is performed using a very small incision made inside the belly button. Through this incision, Dr. Mashhadian inserts a narrow instrument that will be guided from the navel to the breast tissue. A tissue expander is threaded through the instrument, which creates the pocket for the implant to be inserted. Once the implant is in place, it is filled with enough of the sterile solution to create the desired size. The instrument is then removed and the incision is closed using dissolvable stitches.
ABOUT THE RECOVERY PROCESS
Recovery from TUBA is often more comfortable than with other type of breast augmentation, due in part to the smaller incision used to perform the procedure. Patients are encouraged to rest for a number of days following surgery to allow for full healing to take place. You may be a bit sore around the abdominal area for a week or two – some patients liken it to the soreness experienced after a vigorous abdominal workout. Most patients are back to most of their regular activities within about one week.
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
In order to ensure a safe and successful TUBA procedure, it is important to select a surgeon experienced in this technique. Dr. Mashhadian sees patients from all over California and nationwide, due to his reputation as a leader in this procedure. It should also be noted that while TUBA offers a number of benefits, it is not the best choice for every patient. For example, patients who are set on getting silicone implants due to their more natural look and feel will need to consider other techniques for their augmentation surgery.
