Postoperative evaluation platform of female breast implant surgery with breast configuration indicator

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to establish an optimal module of breast configuration, under normal seating state, for postoperative evaluation of a female breast implant surgery. The analytical parameters of breast configuration, such as the breast position, size and shape, can be derived from a three-dimensional (3D), full-sized image process under non-radiation condition. This optimal module converts the breast position, size and shape to the breast configuration indicator consisting of three components or indices—the breast position, volume and breast congruence rate. In conjunction with the continuity analysis, the breast configuration indicator would allow a surgeon to practically grasp the progress during the postsurgery revisits. In addition, the module derived from the proposed computer-aided breast configuration indicator could be of great use as a tool of communication between patients and surgeons.

Introduction

In recent years, relevant studies on female breast parameters have been extensively reported [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. Most of the researchers defined the borderline (or contour line) of a female breast by the congruence method and observed the breast area from several reference points. Cosmetic doctors generally judge postsurgical results of female breast implant surgery in accordance with the breast's position, size and shape (named as the postsurgery-based indicator). However, a successful breast implant plastic surgery would have to allow the position, size and shape to fall within certain reasonable ranges.

This study introduces a three-dimensional (3D) scanning and reverse engineering system to parameterize the breast position, size and shape in order to assess the postoperative configuration indicator of the female breasts from a biomedical engineer's viewpoints. In general, this easy-to-adapt system can provide a simple and convenient approach to define as well as verify the physical characteristics of female breasts. And henceforth, this practical system can help the surgeon to determine whether the postoperative breast might be in good matching with valid position, size and shape as planned.

Computer-aided surgery (CAS) is an advanced design in assisting the surgery that incorporates computational environment and engineering technology and integrates multidisciplinary knowledge for applications in clinical technology. The computer-aided system applied here is a reverse engineering technique which has been successfully introduced into advanced clinical usages [1], [2], [7], [9].

Section snippets

Methods

The subject assumed a “normal seating” posture on a standard measuring chair (Fig. 1), with the thighs closed up naturally and the hands freely put behind the waist for measuring 3D breast image. The geometry is shown in Fig. 1a. A 3D full-sized breast point-cloud model was integrated from these data by using Polyworks® (Fig. 1b). The full-scale 3D breast image was collected by the 3D point data editor (Polyworks®) and then integrated as the complete 3D breast image. Farinella [8] suggested

Results

To ensure the matching of postoperative diagnostic indices (breast configuration indicator) to reasonable range precisely, the breast position, size and shape were parameterized; doctors could appraise the planning and performance of surgery with ease.

Samples for this study were 50 cases with breast cup sizes (post-breast implant surgery ) C to E. The characteristics of the body figures included the ages of 25–45, heights of 150–165 cm and body weights of 40–55 kg as shown in Fig. 11. In addition

Discussion

Representing five groups of female breasts the detail information as show in Fig. 11 with various cup sizes, the postoperative breast configuration indicators deduced from the three physical parameters are shown in Fig. 10 and listed in Table 2 as well. Note that one of the goals set for this work was to get a user-friendly system that provided data and image files of position index (as shown in Fig. 4), breast volume (as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 6, Fig. 7) and congruence rate (as shown in Fig. 8,

Conclusions

This study has so far analyzed more than 50 cases of Asian females, mostly for upgrading the breast cup size from A to C+, for the appraisal of overall breast conditions by three breast configuration indicators—position index, breast volume and breast congruence rate. The data presented in Table 3 demonstrate a typical case of 6 months after breast implant surgery. The physical parameters, such as the position index, breast volume and breast congruence rate, all have achieved fine conditions.

Conflict of interest statement

There is no conflict of interest for this study.

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