Posted by Laurence Weider on October 26, 2012
One of the greatest concerns after breast augmentation for patient and surgeon alike is the risk of infection. An infected implant often means that an implant will need to be removed for a prolonged period of time before it can be reinserted. This is just one of the many reasons why I am so excited about the Keller Funnel. Unlike saline implants, which are inserted into the surgically created pocket empty and then filled, silicone gel implants must be inserted while already filled. The traditional method for doing this has been to tediously push the implant through the incision in the skin. This often meant that there was significant contact between the implant and the patient’s skin. Especially with larger implants, this technique is also traumatic to the implant as well as the patient’s tissues. The Keller Funnel for Breast Augmentation eliminates most if not all of the contact between the implant and the patient’s skin. It also greatly decreases the forces on the implant that could lead to damage to the implant shell. The funnel, which has a slippery inner coating, facilitates passage of the implant into the pocket. A recent study from Emory University demonstrated a 27 fold decrease in skin contact when using the funnel. Use of this novel implant delivery device also cut the risk of bacterial contamination of the implant in half.
I have chosen to use the Keller Funnel on all of my silicone gel augmentations, because of the benefits it provides to the patient including:
- Shorter incisions
- Improved comfort and faster healing
- More choices for incision placement
- Reduced force on the implant and incision
- Reduced risk of contamination and infection
Further information including a video demonstrating how it is used can be viewed here:
I am one of only a few board certified plastic surgeons in the Dallas metropolitan area using the Keller Funnel. Should you wish to discuss breast augmentation or any other procedure please call Weider Plastic Surgery today at (972) 566-8444.
Dr. Weider, a native of Southern California, is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who has maintained a private practice in Dallas, TX since 1999. After attending Stanford University, he obtained his medical degree (M.D.) from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He then completed a one year surgical internship in Los Angeles at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, followed by a four year general surgery residency in Dallas at Methodist Medical Center, and a two year plastic surgery fellowship in Cleveland at Case Western Reserve University.