Guide:
- Slide the implant into a Keller Funnel
- Place the implant as the patient is in the Trendelenburg position
- Zip tie pre-placed stitches
- Considering Breast Augmentation?
Patients often ask board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Markarian in Boston how he places implants using the no-touch technique during breast augmentation. He explains that he uses the non-touch aseptic technique to place breast implants while avoiding contamination by not touching the implant.
We use the no-touch technique when placing implants during breast augmentation to prevent microbial contamination and reduce the risk of infection. Many people wonder how you can place an implant without touching it directly. Listed below are the steps Dr. Markarian and his surgical team take to ensure his patients get their dream breast augmentation results without developing an infection.
1) Slide the implant into a Keller Funnel
Dr. Markarian first swirls Betadine and antibiotic solution around in a Keller Funnel. Without touching the implant, he cleans it with the Betadine and antibiotic solution to ensure it is sterile and will not cause any infections once placed. Again, without touching the implant, Dr. Markarian slides it into the Keller Funnel. He and his team use a new, sterile Army Navy retractor coated in antibiotic solution to prepare for placement.
According to a study by the official Keller Funnel brand by Allergan Aesthetics, most patients prefer the no-touch technique with the Keller Funnel because it may allow a smaller incision and faster implant placement.
An Army Navy retractor is used by doctors during surgical procedures when they need to pull back soft tissue, according to the surgical instrument brand GerMedUSA. Dr. Markarian uses it to carefully open incisions during implant placement.
2) Place the implant as the patient is in the Trendelenburg position
Before placing the implant, patients are always prepped, draped, and coated with Betadine and antibiotic solution on the chest and inside the breast pocket. With the patient lying in the Trendelenburg position, their head declined below their feet, as it decreases the risk of implants falling out, Dr. Markarian slides in the implants.
Before beginning the implant placement process, Dr. Markarian pre-places stitches to avoid putting in new stitches after placing the implant.
Dr. Markarian and his team open the incision using the Army Navy retractor, and the implant is placed smoothly through the small incision, without touching it, using the Keller Funnel. Before final placement, he always double-checks to ensure the bottom of the implant is at the appropriate place at the bottom of the breast. Like icing on a cake, the implant slides out of the Keller Funnel and into the breast pocket.
3) Zip tie pre-placed stitches
Dr. Markarian and his team remove the Army Navy retractor once the implants are inside the breast. The pre-placed stitches are then zip-tied before beginning the implant placement process. To ensure no disruption of the freshly placed implant, he zip-ties the stitches one at a time, removing the necessity for new stitches.
Watch Dr. Markarian place an implant using the no-touch technique below, and follow us on Instagram for more educational content.
Considering Breast Augmentation?
Dr. Mark Markarian is a Harvard-trained, board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeon with over 18 years of experience delivering thousands of successful breast augmentations. Dr. Markarian uses the no-touch technique during breast augmentation to help enhance your breasts without the risk of infection. If you’re considering adding volume to your breasts, schedule a consultation today to discuss your options and develop a customized surgical plan with Dr. Markarian.