Overview

A properly sized chest is psychologically crucial for many guys. This is a desirable norm for guys due to the continual exposure of huge and well-defined pectoral muscles in the media. As a result, pectoral implants have grown in popularity. Some men, however, are unable to establish muscular tone as easily as others, whether due to a lack of activity, a congenital deficiency of the pectoralis muscle, or traumas.

 

What are Pectoral Implants?

Pectoral implants (pec implants) are surgical implants used to shape and contour a man's chest. They often make the chest muscles look more developed.

Male pectoral implants are frequently seen as a requirement for males whose chest look has changed owing to aging or weight fluctuations. These variables can affect the look of the chest, making it appear sagging. In some cases, men simply find it difficult to gain muscle through exercise and a better diet. Men may have underdeveloped muscles as a result of a birth defect or an injury. Male pectoral implants may be the best option in these cases.

Pectus excavatum deformity, which occurs when the sternum seems sunken-in compared to the rest of the chest wall, was initially treated with pectoral implants in male patients in 1988. These early patients had paper mache replicas of their deformities cast, from which a specific cohesive silicone gel implant was produced. This implant was subsequently put in the subcutaneous plane by a pre-sternal incision.

By the early 1990s, surgeons were using these implants for aesthetic chest enlargement in male patients. These early surgeons utilized a pre-sternal incision as well and recognized a significant risk of implant exposure due to the lack of tissue covering in this location. They began inserting the implant in the sub-pectoral plane using a trans-axillary technique after observing this problem was all too prevalent. The trans-axillary method has shown to be effective and is now the industry standard for pectoral implantation.

 

Anatomy and Physiology

The pectoralis muscle is a large, wide, fan-shaped muscle located beneath the breast on the chest. This muscle's principal function is humeral adduction, internal rotation, and flexion. It originates on the medial half of the clavicle, the anterior side of the sternum, and the superior six costal cartilages before inserting into the humeral bicipital groove. The lateral and medial pectoral nerves innervate the pectoralis major muscle, while the medial pectoral nerve innervates the pectoralis minor muscle.

The medial pectoral nerve runs through the pectoralis minor to innervate the lower section of the pectoralis major in two-thirds of individuals, whereas it runs along the lateral side of the pectoralis minor in one-third of people. The lateral pectoral nerve innervates the proximal section of the pectoralis major muscle by running beneath it. Because of these anatomical links, dissection of the two pecs muscles might result in partial denervation of the pec major.

Poland Syndrome is a syndrome in which part or all of the pectoralis muscle on one side is missing. Denervation damage or muscle rips from overtraining are two more reasons of a malformed pectoralis muscle.

 

Benefits of Pectoral Implants

In men, the pectoral muscles are a prominent aesthetic element of the upper torso. As a result, many guys wish to shape this area to improve their body.

Pectoral implant surgery is advantageous for men who wish to increase volume and shape to their chest since it produces outcomes that training alone is unlikely to produce. It is also an excellent aesthetic technique for men who wish to recover lost volume in their chest due to weight loss or aging. Furthermore, pectoral implants can correct asymmetrical chest muscles and other chest wall anomalies caused by injuries or congenital deformities such as Poland's syndrome and pectus excavatum.

Pectoral implants give a long-lasting and natural-looking outcome since the surgeon tailors the surgery to your chest's size and form and conceals the implants by inserting them beneath the chest muscles. Furthermore, the scars from the procedure are hidden beneath the armpit, making them less visible.

 

Before your procedure

Before surgery, the patient must choose the size and form of the implant. First, the width at the lower border and infra-clavicular border of the muscle, the height at the midportion of the muscle, and the distance between the chondrosternal angle and the axilla are all measured. Using these measurements, an implant volume is chosen that will meet the patient's desire for a larger, more proportional chest.

The pocket for implant implantation is usually around 2 cm smaller than these dimensions. If the reconstruction is unilateral, the surgeon must try to match the implant to the opposing side. A cast can be utilized to construct the implant if it is custom-made.

To make an educated decision, the patient should also grasp the procedure's dangers, advantages, and alternatives. He should also be informed about the procedure's expected postoperative course and limitations. Once you've decided on pectoral implants, our preoperative assessment team will contact you to prepare you for surgery.

The following are recommended actions to take:

• It is strongly advised to cease smoking for 6 weeks before to the procedure since active smoking is connected with a variety of hazards, including delayed wound healing, which might result in wound infection and the need to have the implants removed.
• You should also abstain from aspirin and any aspirin-containing medications for at least one week before the surgery.
• Except for sips of clear fluid (water and tea/coffee without added milk) allowed up to 2 hours before the procedure, you should avoid eating or drinking for 6 hours before the chest implant procedure.

 

On the day of your procedure

To prevent delays, please attend for your operation at the scheduled time. A member of our nursing staff will formally admit you for the treatment and perform a variety of activities such as monitoring your vital signs and getting you dressed into clinic wear. The anesthesiologist will then check you to ensure you are fit for anesthesia and will prescribe a variety of premedications to help you recover faster following the surgery. Your surgeon will next examine you and confirm the particular treatment to be performed before you sign the informed permission form. At this phase, skin marking and photographs may be taken.

The pectoral implants for men operation is a popular one at Centre for Surgery and is conducted under TIVA general anesthesia. The treatment takes about 90 minutes to complete. The incision is usually made on the side of the chest, which produces the best-looking scar. Using a specialized dissector equipment, a pocket for the pectoral implants will be made.

The pectoral implants are then implanted utilizing a 'no touch' implant funnel method beneath or above the muscle depending on soft tissue coverage. The small incisions are 5-6cm long, possibly longer depending on the size of the implant chosen, and the skin is then closed using dissolvable sutures, eliminating the need for them to be removed at a separate appointment. Surgical drains may be inserted during the procedure to reduce blood collection around the implants.

Once you have awakened from the anesthesia, our nurses will closely monitor you for the next 1-3 hours to ensure a full recovery. Once you are cleared for discharge, you will need a responsible adult escort to drive or taxi you home and look after you for at least the first 24 hours after surgery. 

 

Procedure

The patient is standing when the markings are done. The degree of sub-pectoral dissection can be determined by marking the margins of the pectoralis muscle. The axillary fold incision will be utilized for implant insertion. It has a curvilinear form, parallels a skin crease, and is 4.5 to 6.0 cm in length.

To avoid skin stress, the axilla should be shaved using an electric shaver prior to the incisions. The patient is subsequently positioned supine with arms abducted to 90 degrees. After the patient's skin has been prepared and draped, an anesthetic solution containing epinephrine is infused into the incision site. The incision is created, and the dissection is continued until the lateral tendon of the pectoralis muscle is reached.

 At this stage, the dissection shifts to the submuscular plane, initially with acute dissection and subsequently with a long, blunt dissector aided by a fiberoptic light retractor. The submuscular plane's extent should correspond to the previously set exterior marks.

It is crucial that the dissection be performed no more than 1 to 2 cm below the areola and that no sternal or pectoralis insertions are damaged, since this might result in the patient having feminine-looking breasts. To avoid the development of hematomas, meticulous hemostasis is required. While performing the contralateral dissection, the pocket is soaked in either triple antibiotic solution or betadine.

The implants are then inserted via the incision, with as little contact with the skin as possible to avoid infection. To check symmetry, the patient must sit up. Following that, a multi-layered closure is accomplished. It is up to the plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist to decide whether to execute a medial and lateral pectoral nerve block following the treatment to assist reduce post-operative discomfort.

For about a month, a light compressive dressing is required, following which the patient can withdraw it and resume modest physical exercise. Drains are not commonly used by surgeons in this operation.

 

Recovery

Because this is a day operation, you will be free to go home soon the anaesthesia has gone off. It is common to feel some pain and discomfort after the surgery. You may treat this with pain medication, which will help to ease any discomfort.

You will be given a compression garment to assist minimize swelling and speed up your healing time. To avoid an increased risk of wound breakdown and infection, you must refrain from smoking during your recovery period.

For the first week, avoid any strenuous physical activity, especially anything that requires the use of your arms. While the incision site will heal in about two weeks, the pectoral implant area will heal in about six weeks.

 

Potential Complications from Pec Implants

Complications with pectoral implantation are comparable to those associated with breast augmentation. These include hematoma or hemorrhage development, infection, poor aesthetic result, asymmetry, implant displacement or rotation, seroma, implant rupture, capsular contracture, and poor healing. When an implant is placed under the pectoralis muscle, the patient may have muscular spasms. Muscle relaxants can be used to treat this condition, and botulinum toxin may be used to treat persistent spasms.

Other less common problems include anesthesia issues and consequent inner arm paresthesia. Although no cases of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) have been reported with pectoral implants, they feature a rough surface that might conceivably produce this uncommon illness.

 

Alternatives to Pec Implants

People who desire additional definition in their chest have other options besides pec implants. Fat grafting to the chest and pectoralis muscle is another technique that can be performed. Liposuction is performed on another region of your body as well as below and to the sides of your pectoralis muscle in this treatment to make your pecs seem more defined.

To boost the size of your pectoralis muscle, some of the excised fat is injected beneath the skin as well as into the muscle itself. Because some of the fat melts away, you may need up to three fat grafting procedures to achieve the desired size. These procedures are typically scheduled several months apart.

 

FAQs

    1. Am I an ideal candidate for male pectoral implants?

A good candidate must have good overall health and realistic expectations of the results they can achieve. You could:

• Have an undeveloped chest and are unable to achieve a larger or more defined chest with diet and exercise alone.
• Have a sunken chest (pectus deformity)
• Have an absent pectoral muscle (Poland’s Syndrome)

    2. How long does the pec implants procedure take?

The procedure is carried out under general anesthesia and takes approximately 2 hours to complete.

    3. Will I have to wear a compression garment after pec implant surgery?

To provide comfort and reduce swelling, a compression garment is applied, which you must wear for the first 3-4 weeks to stabilize the position of the implants during the early stages of the healing process.

    4. Will I have scars after the surgery?

The incisions are made in the natural creases of your skin and therefore scarring is minimal, which will heal over time.

    5. What happens if I am unhappy with the results of pectoral implant surgery?

It is advisable not to have any more treatment done for 12-18 months in order to obtain a satisfactory outcome following revision surgery. However, the time between your initial and revision surgery may be carefully planned by you and your physician based on the outcome and your expectations.

 

Conclusion 

Men who have an undeveloped chest despite exercising may benefit from pectoral implant treatment. This operation, which includes implanting implants in the male chest, can help patients achieve a larger, wider, and more manly chest. With implants, you may attain a chiseled, more defined, and toned pectoral region in less time. Unlike the results you might get from working out at the gym, your pectoral implants will never shrink in size, and you will be able to maintain a toned physique.