Breast Implants or Lipofilling in Augmentation Mammoplasty? A Randomized, Open-Label, Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Aesthetic Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Breast hypoplasia correction is commonly addressed using breast implants (BIs) or fat grafting (lipofilling, LPF).
• Patient expectations and specific chest deformities can influence surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the aesthetic outcomes of breast hypoplasia correction using BIs versus LPF.
• To analyze the impact of deformities like tuberous breasts and pectus excavatum on treatment results.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, open-label controlled study involving 95 patients with BIs and 90 patients with LPF.
• Pre-operative assessment included clinical evaluation, imaging (MRI, mammography, ultrasound), and patient expectations.
• Post-operative follow-up extended up to four years.

Main Results:

• 87.5% of patients with BIs achieved excellent aesthetic outcomes versus 70% with LPF at 12 months.
• Breast augmentation maintenance was significantly higher with BIs (p < .0001).
• LPF yielded more natural results (p < .0001) and superior correction of pectus excavatum.

Conclusions:

• Both breast implants and lipofilling are safe and effective for breast hypoplasia.
• Lipofilling offers more natural aesthetics and better chest wall deformity correction.
• Breast implants provide more pronounced and durable breast augmentation.