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Breast Implants and Augmentation Glossary

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ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties): an organization of medical specialty boards that certify physicians and surgeons as having an approved training program and an evaluation process assessing their ability to provide quality patient care in a given specialty.

ABPS (American Board of Plastic Surgery/Surgeons): the medical specialty board that certifies plastic surgeons.

analgesic: a pain reliever

anatomical implant: a contoured or teardrop-shaped implant thought to give a more natural shape to the breast.

anesthesia: an artificially induced insensitivity to pain, which makes surgery possible. Anesthesia for surgery include not only medications to stop pain sensations, but also medications that immobilize the body, cause unconsciousness, and prevent the patient from remembering the experience.

areola: the disc of pigmented skin around the nipple, plural: areolae.

arnica montana: a perennial herb used in homeopathic to treat swelling and bruising

ASPS (The American Society of Plastic Surgeons): the professional organization of board-certified plastic surgeons

asymmetry: unequal, unmatching. Asymmetry is when one breast is a different size or shape, or one is higher than the other.

axilla: the armpit or underarm area, plural: axillae

axillary: of or having to do with the armpit or underarm areas

band size: one part of a bra’s size. The band size is measured in inches and represents the size of the rib cage.

Benelli mastopexy: a type of breast lift performed by removing a circle of skin around the areolae complex and pulling in the breast tissue to lift and reshape the breast. Also called a concentric, periareolar, or donut mastopexy.

bilateral: of, relating to, or affecting both the right and left sides of the body. A bilateral mastectomy would be the removal of both breasts.

board certified: a term regarding credentials of a physician or surgeon. In breast augmentation surgery, the most common certification is from the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS).

bottoming out: when the lower poles (halves) of the breast have lost their tissue support and the implant is slowly sliding under the natural crease

breast envelope: the skin and subcutaneous tissue that covers the breast and helps give the breast shape

bromelain: a homeopathic remedy derived from pineapple stem that is thought to reduce swelling and bruising

capsular contracture: the contraction of the fibrous capsule that forms around a foreign body, sometimes abbreviated as CC. Severe capsular contracture can cause hardening and deformity of the breast, pain, and implant ruptures.

capsule: the fibrous tissue around a foreign body such as a breast implant

cleavage: the area between the breasts

cohesive: marked by a tendency to stick together. Cohesive silicone has a thicker consistency, and may not leak out of the implant shell in the event of a rupture.

Cooper's ligament: the connective tissue that hold the breast tissue to the breast envelope and upper chest wall.

cutaneous: of, relating to, or affecting the skin

dissect, dissection: to separate tissue; in surgery or anatomy, to pull layers apart or separate them.

endoscopic surgery: surgery performed using an endoscope (a small camera) and special surgical tools. Endoscopic surgery usually involves one or more small incisions and a shorter recovery time.

epinephrine: a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands during conditions of stress. It raises the blood pressure and breathing rate and constricts blood vessels. In medicine, it is used as a vasoconstrictor in controlling hemorrhages and in prolonging the effects of local anesthetics, and as a muscle relaxant in bronchial asthma. Epinephrine is also called adrenaline

expander implant: a temporary breast implant that is slowly inflated with saline and used to stretch the tissue in preparation for a permanent breast implant. Expander implants are used in both reconstructive and cosmetic breast augmentation. Other types of expanding implants are used in other areas of reconstructive plastic surgery.

fascia: a sheet of connective tissue that covers or binds muscles or organs

fibrous tissue: tissue containing with tight woven strands of collagen protein

fluff, fluffing: Also called dropping. This is when the breast implants drop into a slightly lower, more natural position, after the skin and muscle have completely relaxed during healing.

Full unders: one placement of a breast implant. The implant is placed not only under the pectoralis muscle, but under the serratus muscle and the fascia of the rectus abdominal muscles as well.

general anesthesia: the induction of a state of unconsciousness with the absence of pain sensation over the entire body. General anesthesia can be given by an inhaled gas or intravenously. This is usually a deep sedation that renders patients unconscious.

glandular: of, relating to, or involving glands, gland cells, or their products

hematoma: a mass or collection of clotted or liquid blood that forms in a tissue, organ, or body space as a result of bleeding

hemorrhage: a copious discharge of blood from an incision or wound

hypoxia: a deficiency of oxygen reaching the tissues of the body

inferior: in anatomy, a position that is lower or closer to the feet

Inframammary crease: the crease below the breasts where the breast envelope unites with the skin over the rib cage

inframammary incision: an incision in the inframammary crease used to place breast implants. Also called the "crease" or "fold" incision.

intercostal arteries: the arteries responsible for the blood supply to the breast; the full name is the anterior intercostals branches of the internal thoracic artery. “Intercostal” means they come through the space between the ribs. This included mammary artery or internal artery of the breast.

intracapsular rupture: when a silicone-filled breast implant ruptures, but the silicone is contained within the capsule

IV Sedation: Sedation or anesthetic medications delivered through an intravenous (IV) line

lactation: to produce milk from the breasts

latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction procedure: A technique of reconstructing the breast after mastectomy that uses the latissimus dorsi (a back muscle) to form a breast mound.

lidocaine: a local anesthetic, also called Xylocaine.

lobes: in the breast, the collections or groups of lobules, pockets of glandular tissue that produce milk, and which are connected to the nipples by milk ducts.

lobules: the lactation glands of the breast that produce milk

local anesthesia: anesthesia of a small part of the body, such as an area of the mouth in dentistry or an area of skin

lumpectomy: excision of a breast tumor with a limited amount of associated breast tissue

lymph node: any of the small rounded masses of lymphoid tissue along the lymphatic vessels that filter the lymph passing through them, also called a lymph gland. The lymphatic system is a major component of the body’s immune system.

lymphadenopathy: abnormal enlargement of the lymph nodes

malposition: an abnormal position, as of an organ, body part, or implant; when the breast implant is placed incorrectly

mamma: breast, organ of lactation; plural: mammae.

mammogram: an x-ray of the breast used to detect or diagnose breast disease

mammography: the use of x-rays to form a diagnostic picture of the breast

mastectomy: surgical excision or removal of the breast and associated tissue

mastopexy: plastic surgery to elevate and often reshape a sagging breast; also called a breast lift

micromastia: postpubertal immaturity and abnormal smallness of the breasts

myectomy: an excision or removal of muscle tissue

nipple: the protuberance of pigmented, erectile tissue in the center of the surface of the breast; the tissue from which milk can flow to the outside.

overs: one type of placement for breast implants; placement over the pectoralis muscle and below natural breast tissue; also called subglandular placement or over the muscle.

pectoralis major: either of two large fan-shaped muscles of the chest that branch out from the breastbone and sternum and connect to the upper arm; the muscle that a breast implant is placed beneath in submuscular or subpectoral (under) placement and which covers the top of the implant.

pectoralis minor: the thin triangular muscle connecting the chest wall to the shoulder blade and that lies under the pectoralis major

periareolar: something that surround or encircles the areolae complex of the nipple; a breast incision that circles the areolae used in breast augmentation and breast lift surgery

pocket: a cavity made in the body by dissection and tissue expansion to make way for implant placement; in breast augmentation, the space created for the implant

pole: the upper or lower half of the breast or breast implant. For instance, upper pole fullness describes a rounded, full area of the upper breast often seen in overfilled round implants.

ptosis: sag or sagginess; breast ptosis is sagging of the breasts.

regional anesthesia: anesthesia of a region of the body, usually accomplished by the injection of an anesthetic into a nerve or nerve cluster

rectus abdominus fascia: the fascia covering the rectus abdominus muscle of the abdomen. This fascia is dissected from the upper portion of the rectus abdominus muscle and is used to help cover the implant in full submuscular implant coverage.

rippling: the appearance of ridges or wrinkles in a breast implant due to improper fill of the implant, too thin of skin, and not enough tissue coverage. This can happen with overs and unders - although with unders it is usually not visible on the upper portion of the breast.

saline: a solution of sodium chloride (salt) and water in the same concentration as that seen in tissue fluid and blood; also called normosaline or normal saline solution and physiological saline solution. Saline fluid for use in intravenous lines and filling breast implants is sterile unless the bag of fluid or lines have been damaged or compromised.

saline-filled implants: a type of breast implant that consists of a silicone elastomer shell (bag) that is filled with sterile saline.

sedation: any drug or drugs that produces a state of calm or sleep

seroma: a pocket or collection of the watery fluid due to trauma, surgery, injury or disease

serratus muscle: A muscle on either side of the chest that is connected to and covers the ribs; used in conjunction with the pectoralis major muscle and rectus abdominus fascia in full submuscular implant placement.

silicone-filled implants: A type of breast implant consisting of a silicone shell filled with silicone gel

sternum: the breast bone area between the two breasts.

submuscular, full submuscular: depicts an implant placement, full submuscular - includes the pectoralis major, the serratus muscles and the rectus abdominus fascia.

supine: The surgical position where patient's body is placed face up on the operating room table.

symmastia: Also spelled synmastia; a condition in which the two breast implants are touching in the middle over the breast bone; also called kissing implants, uniboob.

symmetry: the quality of similarity in size, shape, and relative position facing each other or across an axis; in breast augmentation, having breasts of similar size, shape, and placement.

tachycardia: a rapid heart rate

thoracic: of, relating to, located within, or involving the thorax or chest

thromboembolus: obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot; plural, thromboemboli

thrombosis: localized coagulation or deposit of blood

transaxillary: though the axilla (armpit); an incision site for breast augmentation, with the incision made under the arm

transverse: lying or going across at an angle

transumbilical breast augmentation (TUBA): a procedure in which breast implants are inserted via tunnels under the skin from the umbilicus (navel) to the breasts. There is no scar on the breast and usually a decrease in healing time for this procedure.

tubular (or tuberous) breasts: a breast shape caused by a small breast base and/or herniated areolae,

twilight sedation: a light form of general anesthesia that gives you full sedation but in which you are not in deep sleep

umbilical: having to do with the umbilicus (the navel or belly button)

unders: one type of placement for breast implants; placement under the pectoralis muscle; also called submuscular placement, subpectoral placement, or under the muscle. Full submuscular placement puts the implant below the pectoralis muscle and the serratus muscle and the fascia of the rectus abdominal muscle.

vasoconstrictor: a drug that constricts the blood vessels.