What is TUBA Breast Enhancement?

The technological advancements of the 21^st century have brought about several innovations to make life easier, especially with regards to health and physical self-improvement. Invasive surgeries have become less invasive. There are also several reconstructive surgeries that have brought results to people who wanted to enhance their physical appearance. One of the most popular reconstructive surgeries is breast augmentation. This procedure generally enhances a woman’s breast by surgically inserting implants into them.

Until recently, installing breast implants left visible scars after the surgery. The incision site can now be from many different locations. These sites include below the breast, called the inframammary incision, in the areola, called the periareolar incision and the armpit, called the transaxillary incision. Another is called TUBA. In this type of surgery, the incision site will be around the navel.

TUBA or transumbilical breast augmentation was first introduced in the early 90s by Dr. Gerald Johnson. It is a substitute procedure for breast implant methods that leave scars. This procedure is done using endoscopic implantation. This means that during the procedure the surgeon will use an endoscopy, a special flexible tube which has a camera and light in the end. This is reliable for looking at what is inside the body and allows the surgeon to perform the procedure without using large incisions.

The TUBA breast augmentation procedure is done under general anesthesia. In the folds of the skin on the navel area, a little incision will be made to make the scar invisible. An obturator (a blunt instrument) is used as a tunnel under the skin going to the breast crease. If the breast implant is to be positioned under the tissue of the breast, dissection is done above the muscles. In thin individuals, the implantation is placed under the muscles and the dissection is done below the muscle of the chest. The surgeon will insert the endoscope to determine the right plane of dissection, followed by rolled breast implants guided upward through the created pocket. The breast implant will be inflated with a sterile normal saline solution. The same procedure will be done to the other breast. The breasts will be equalized by means of adjusting the amount of solution being inserted on the implants. After the breast implants are in place, the incision at the navel will be sutured so it leaves no scars. After two to seven days, patients who have undergone TUBA can return to normal activity if the implants are positioned above the muscle. This time is about four to seven days if it is positioned below the muscles.

TUBA breast augmentation has proven to be safe. The saline solution that is used to inflate the breast implants is also proven to be safe; however, similar to other breast implants, it is not permanent. A time will come that the implants will collapse and the solution will seep out, but because saline is a fluid similar to the fluids of the body, the body will simply absorb it. The biggest obstacle to most women is cost since this cosmetic surgery is not covered under medical health plans.