Breast Surgery
Dr. Urbinelli keeps up with the latest research and performs only the most advanced techniques in cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery.
When you need surgery to augment or reconstruct your breasts, he creates natural results using two types of enhancements:
Alloplastic (prosthetic) enhancement
Alloplastic refers to using breast implants when augmenting or reconstructing your breasts. Dr. Urbinelli uses Sientra® and Mentor silicone or saline breast implants depending on patient preference, medical/surgical history, patient body type and other factors.
Implants can be placed under the skin, under the chest muscles or a tissue expander (balloon of saline filled to stretch the overlying tissues to make room for an implant) can be placed. Goals and approaches to be discussed with Dr. Urbinelli at your consultation to create the look and feel of natural breasts.
Autologous (patient’s own tissue) enhancement
Autologous procedures use your own tissue, either a fat graft or tissue transfer, to enlarge or rebuild your breasts. During a fat graft, Dr. Urbinelli uses liposuction to take fat from one area of your body, then inject it into your breast area. Some patients may require tissue expansion prior to breast fat grafting (BRAVA).
Breast reconstruction via regional or free tissue transfer: Dr. Urbinelli removes a flap of tissue that contains skin, fat, blood vessels, and nerves. The flap of tissue often comes from your abdomen (DIEP, SIEA, msTRAM, TRAM flaps), thighs (PAP, TUG flaps), upper or lower buttocks (PAP or SGAP flap), or back (TDAP,LD flaps) and requires Dr. Urbinelli to perform microvascular surgery with a microscope to safely dissect out the flap of tissues, preserve the blood supply and/or sew the blood vessels together in order for the tissue removed to survive in the newly reconstructed breast site.
He uses the tissue to recreate your breasts and then carefully reconnects the blood vessels and nerves from the flap to vessels and nerves in your chest. Your new breasts look and feel natural, and, in many cases, you can regain sensation as the nerves regenerate.
Dr. Urbinelli trained under the pioneers of breast free flap surgery years ago and has brought these cutting edge techniques to Portland, OR.
What is breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation is plastic surgery to increase your breast size, improve the shape of your breasts, and correct differences in size and shape between your two breasts. Dr. Urbinelli creates a customized plan, using an implant or fat graft, to achieve the results that fit your expectations and work for your body type and shape.
What is breast lift surgery?
As you get older, aging takes a toll on your breasts and they begin to sag, a condition called breast ptosis. Breast lift surgery solves that problem by raising your breasts, removing excess tissue, and tightening the remaining tissues to support your lifted breasts.
The intention of a breast lift is not to enlarge the size of breasts and typically a breast lift is best done separate from an augmentation. However, Dr. Urbinelli can sometimes offer a single-stage surgery that combines the lift with implants or a fat graft, depending on the patient’s needs and anatomy.
When do I need breast reconstruction surgery?
Breast reconstruction is surgery to rebuild one or both breasts after you have a lumpectomy or mastectomy to treat breast cancer. You may also need breast reconstruction if you have congenital or acquired breast differences such as Poland syndrome, hypomastia, constricted breasts, or a severe trauma/burn.
If you want to improve the appearance of your breasts or you are facing breast cancer treatment and need breast reconstruction, call Dr. Urbinelli at PNW Plastic Surgery today or book an appointment online.