Ultrasonography: A Useful Tool for Plastic Surgeons

Ultrasonography is a diagnostic technique used in many clinical specialties that should also be used by plastic surgeons. The authors have used ultrasonography since 2011 as part of the routine follow-up evaluation for all their patients who have undergone breast augmentation (the main indication), body implants, gynecomastia, fat transfer, or abdominoplasty. The main goal of this study was to correlate normal and pathologic conditions clinically with their respective imaging findings. The secondary aim was to establish the utility of this tool in a plastic surgery setting. With increasing experience, the use of ultrasound evaluation was expanded to include evaluation of seromas and hematomas, determination of the diastasis recti width, and confirmation of the presence of hernias, especially in patients with high adiposity, who are difficult to scan. This report describes several clinical cases of complications associated with breast augmentation and discusses the most significant common problems encountered during the first 2 years of ultrasonography scanner use in a plastic surgeon’s office.

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