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Adventures and Misadventures in Plastic Surgery and Soft-Tissue Implants
Dana J Lin1, Tony T Wong1, Gina A Ciavarra1
1From the Department of Radiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, 622 W 168th St, MC-28, New York, NY 10032 (D.J.L., T.T.W., J.K.K.); and the Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Medical Center-Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, NY (G.A.C.).
Radiologists increasingly encounter soft-tissue augmentation and implants for cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Understanding normal appearances and potential complications like infection or rupture is crucial for accurate detection.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Plastic Surgery
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Soft-tissue augmentation and implants are common for cosmetic and reconstructive purposes.
- Techniques range from abdominoplasty and fat grafting to silicone implants and minimally invasive fillers.
- Subdermal implants by nonmedical professionals are an emerging concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review various soft-tissue augmentation and implant procedures.
- To illustrate common complications associated with these procedures.
- To highlight key imaging concepts for complication detection.
Main Methods:
- Review of approved, off-label, and illicit plastic surgical and implant procedures.
- Illustration of complications with classic imaging findings.
- Discussion of principles for breast augmentation and penile implants.
Main Results:
- Complications can be categorized as seroma, hematoma, infection, migration, compression, fibrosis, foreign-body reaction, or rupture.
- Familiarity with normal postoperative appearance is essential for identifying deviations.
- Imaging plays a vital role in diagnosing complications from diverse soft-tissue procedures.
Conclusions:
- Radiologists must be aware of the wide array of soft-tissue augmentation and implant procedures.
- Accurate detection of complications relies on understanding normal anatomy and postoperative imaging.
- Knowledge of these procedures aids in differentiating expected findings from pathological changes.
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