Areola: The pigmented or darker colored area of skin surrounding the nipple of the breast.

Asymmetry: A lack of proportion of shape, size and position on opposite sides of the body.

Axillary: Pertaining to the armpit area.

Bilateral: Pertaining to both the left and right breast.

Biopsy: Removal and examination of sample tissue for diagnosis.

Breast Augmentation: Enlargement of the breast by surgical implantation of a breast implant or patient's own tissue.

Breast Reconstruction: Surgical restoration of natural breast contour and mass following mastectomy, trauma or injury.

Capsular Contracture: Tightening of the tissue surrounding a breast implant which results in a firmer breast.

Capsulectomy: Surgical removal of the entire capsule surrounding a breast implant.

Capsulotomy: Closed Capsulotomy: Compression on the outside of the breast to break the capsule and relieve contracture.

Open Capsulotomy: Surgically cutting or removing part of the capsule through an incision.

Carcinoma: Invasive malignant tumor.

Congenita Anomaly: Abnormality existing at birth.

Connective Tissue Disease(CTD): A disease or group of diseases affecting connective tissue. The cause of these diseases is unknown. The diseases are grouped together on the basis of clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory abnormalities.

Deflation/Rupture: Refers to loss of saline from a saline-filled breast implant due to a tear or cut in the implant shell or possibly a valve leak.

Displacement: Shifting in the original position.

Epidemiological: Pertaining to the cause, distribution and control of disease in populations.

Extrusion: A breast implant or tissue expander being pressed out of the body.

Fibrous Tissue: Tissue resembling fibers.

Hematoma: A swelling or mass of blood (usually clotted) confined to an organ, tissue, or space and caused by a break in a blood vessel.

Immune Response: The reaction of the body to substances that are foreign or are interpreted as being foreign.

Inframammary: Below the breast.

Inframammary Fold: The crease at the base of the breast and the chest wall.

Inframammary Incision: A surgical incision at the inframammary fold

Mammography: Use of radiography (X-rays) of the breast to detect breast cancer. Recommended as a screening technique for early detection of breast cancer.

Mastectomy: Surgical removal of the breast.

Subcutaneous Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue, preserving the skin and nipple.

Partial Mastectomy: Removal of primary tumor and a wide margin of tissue, may include the overlying skin and the muscle fibrous tissue (fascia) underlying the tumor.

Total (Simple) Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue and the nipple; sometimes accompanied by armpit (axillary) node dissection.

Modified Radical Mastectomy: Removal of breast tissue, nipple, and fascia of chest (pectoralis) muscle with axillary node dissection.

Mastopexy: Plastic surgery to move sagging (ptotic) breasts into a more elevated position.

Necrosis: Death of tissue. May be caused by insufficient blood supply, trauma, radiation, chemical agents or infectious disease.

Mammaplasty: Plastic surgery of the breast.

Mammary: Pertaining to the breast.

Pectoralis: The major muscle of the chest.

Prosthesis: An artificial device used to replace or represent a body part.

Ptosis: Sagging of the breast usually due to normal aging, pregnancy or weight loss.

Saline: A solution of sodium chloride (salt) and water.

Serratus: Muscle located beneath the chest's pectoralis major and minor muscles and the rib cage.

Silicone Elastomer: A type of silicone that has elastic properties similar to rubber.

Subglandular Placement: Placement of the breast implant behind the skin and mammary gland, but on top of the chest (pectoralis) muscle. Also called prepectoral or retromammary placement.

Submuscular Placement: Placement of the breast implant under the chest (pectoralis) muscle, or under the pectoralis and serratus muscles. Also called retropectoral or subpectoral placement.

Surgical Incision: Cut made in tissue for surgical purposes.

Transaxillary Incision: Incision across the long axis of the armpit (axilla).

Unilateral Affecting only left or right breast.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed