The Surgery Itself
Now that the big day has finally arrived, what can you expect? First, you will be asked to not eat or drink anything after the midnight prior to your surgery and you will be instructed to arrive at the surgery center no later than one hour prior to the procedure. You will first meet with the nursing room staff who will review your paperwork and assure that everything is in order. Next, the anesthesiologist will speak to you and review what you can expect from your anesthesia care both before, during, and after your procedure. Finally, you will meet Dr. Buford who will review any last minute questions and then make a number of standard measurements and markings which he will use during your surgery.
You will then be taken to the operating room and the process of will occur. You will count backwards from ten (most people make it to about eight) and you will be appropriately positioned on the bed for the procedure.
Although the actual procedure is relatively straightforward, most of the planning actually occurs outside of the operating room. Experienced breast surgeons such as Dr. Buford understand that the more prepared you are going into the procedure, the more predictable the results. To achieve this, information gained during your initial encounter with Dr. Buford is critical. Be honest with him and with his staff about your expectations and what it is that you would like to accomplish.
The procedure itself then consists of the following steps:
- Marking of the access incision
- Intercostal nerve block and numbing of the breasts
- Creation of a pocket (above or below the muscle) to hold the implant
- Possible use of sizers (to determine any significant size difference between your breasts)
- Lavage of the pocket with triple antibiotic solution and numbing medicine
- Placement of the final implants
- Closure of the incision
As a highly trained and skilled breast surgeon who performs hundreds of breast procedures per year, Dr. Buford has developed a very methodical approach to this procedure and surrounds himself with a team that knows this approach. Because of this, the total time for a straightforward Denver breast augmentation is usually around 30-60 minutes.
Once the surgery is complete, you will awake and be taken to the recovery room where you will remain for about an hour. Once you are comfortable and ready to leave, discharge instructions will be discussed with you and you will be released with a friend or family member. In addition, you will be given Dr. Buford’s personal cell phone and instructed to call the office during the day or his cell at night if you have any serious concerns.
Ready for a Consultation?
Dr. Buford can meet with you in an initial consultation to explain the breast enlargement surgery process in greater detail. Please contact our Denver, Colorado practice for more information.
