Comparative double blind clinical study on round versus shaped cohesive gel implants.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Aesthetic Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Round and shaped implants are widely used for breast augmentation globally.
• Surgeon and patient preferences for implant type are crucial in aesthetic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare aesthetic outcomes of round versus shaped breast implants based on general female population and plastic surgeon preferences.
• To assess the ability of plastic surgeons to identify implant type based on postoperative appearance.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 30 breast augmentation patients (15 round, 15 shaped implants).
• Postoperative photographs were evaluated by 235 female lay respondents and 11 plastic surgeons.
• Respondents rated breast beauty, naturalness, upper pole appearance, and surgeons attempted to identify implant type.

Main Results:

• Round implants were rated significantly higher for naturalness and upper pole assessment by both groups (P < .001).
• Breast beauty scores were similar for both implant types.
• Plastic surgeons correctly identified implant type in 64% of round implant cases and 47% of shaped implant cases.

Conclusions:

• Round implants may offer superior aesthetic outcomes in terms of naturalness and upper pole contour.
• Experienced surgeons can achieve comparable results with either implant type in carefully selected patients.
• The choice between round and shaped implants may depend on specific patient and surgeon considerations for optimal aesthetic results.