INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Symmastia can occur when breast implants are too wide or too large for a patients chest dimensions, when the tissues between the breasts are too weak or thinned, or when a patient develops a contracture (tightening of the breast capsule or increase in scar tissue around the breast) which pushes one or both breast implants too close to the midline.

Correction can be achieved by reinforcing the tissues between the breast (at the midline or sternum/breast bone) with permanent sutures along with a “thong bra” worn postoperatively to maintain this separation between the breasts. Patients should be cautious about sleeping on their sides because this will push the breasts together and stretch the newly repaired tissues. Sometimes it is necessary to replace the implants with implants that have a more narrow base. This sometimes means decreasing the size. However, in some cases size can be maintained by changing to a higher profile implant which is similar in projection but decreased in width.
This can be a difficult problem to correct and should be analyzed carefully and approached with caution and in a meticulous fashion.
The pictures below demonstrate several patients with symmastia and after their surgery to correct this.

Dr. Kimberly Short