symmastia
Pronunciation: /sɪˈmæstiə/
Complication where breast implant pockets communicate across the midline, creating a 'uniboob' appearance.
Full Definition
Symmastia is a complication of breast augmentation where excessive medial dissection or implant displacement causes the two implant pockets to communicate across the midline of the chest. This creates the appearance of a single breast mass rather than two separate breasts, commonly referred to as 'uniboob' or 'breadloafing.' The condition can be caused by over-dissection during surgery, use of implants that are too large for the patient's anatomy, or inadequate support of the medial implant border. Symmastia is a challenging complication to correct, often requiring multiple revision surgeries with techniques including capsulorrhaphy, acellular dermal matrix reinforcement, and careful implant repositioning. Prevention involves conservative medial dissection and appropriate implant selection.
Usage
Usage note: Always document the extent of midline communication and any associated functional or aesthetic concerns.
In Context
- "The patient developed symmastia following placement of implants that exceeded her native base width measurements." — complication review
- "Symmastia correction required extensive capsulorrhaphy and downsizing to smaller implants with narrower base widths." — revision surgery report