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Full Muscle Coverage

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Full Muscle Coverage

With Full Muscle Coverage breast reconstruction, the implant is covered by the muscles in the immediate area of the breast. Your surgeon may use portions of your pectoralis major chest muscle, pectoralis minor muscle, serratus anterior muscle, and sometimes your rectus abdominus muscle or fascia to achieve full muscle coverage of the implant.

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Preoperative markings

Full Muscle Coverage During Surgery – Step One

Full Muscle Coverage During Surgery – Step Two

Postoperative appearance

In addition to the potential advantages and disadvantages listed in the Breast Implant Reconstruction page, other potential advantages and disadvantages of Full Muscle Coverage are also outlined here.

Potential Advantages | Potential Disadvantages
  • Muscles add an additional layer of tissue between the implant and the skin
  • Decreases the risk of implant exposure
  • Decreases the risk of being able to see or feel the implant through the skin
  • Unnatural appearance of the breast such as a high riding breast (breast sits unnaturally high on the chest)
  • More challenging for the surgeon to control final shape, size and location of the reconstructed breast
  • Poor projection of the breast
  • Poor definition of the breast shape
  • Serratus Band Contracture - risk of muscles spasming and/or contracting causing the breast to become deformed
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