Dr. Jim Namnoum's Glossary of Terms for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery
Abdominoplasty
A surgical procedure to remove excess skin and fat and tighten underlying abdominal muscles, making the tummy flatter and slimmer in appearance.
Areola
The circular area of dark skin surrounding the nipple.
Areola reduction
A procedure to correct the look of overly large or stretched nipples by trimming excess skin and reshaping the areola.
Arm lift
(See Brachioplasty)
Armpit (Transaxillary) Breast Incision
An incision for breast enhancement surgery that is made in the underarm of the patient. Unfilled silicone shells are placed into position and then endoscopically filled with a saline solution.
Body lift
(See Post Bariatric Surgery)
Bottoming out
A complication from a breast enhancement surgery where the breast implant falls too low, thus positioning the nipple too high on the breast.
Brachioplasty
Also known as an arm lift, a surgeon uses targeted liposuction and trims excess fat to contour the upper arms.
Buttock Augmentation
A surgical procedure to enhance the shape and size of the buttocks, usually through fat transfers or silicone implants.
Breast Augmentation
(See Breast Enhancement)
Breast Enhancement
Breast enhancement, also known as a breast augmentation, involves the surgical insertion of a saline or silicone implant to augment the shape and size of the breasts .
Breast Implants
Silicone shells, filled varying amounts of either saline or silicone solution, that are used in breast augmentation surgery to enhance the shape and size of the breasts.
Breast Lift
(See Mastopexy)
Breast Reconstruction
The surgical rebuilding of the breast mound(s) and nipple after a mastectomy (the removal of one or both breasts in the treatment of cancer).
Breast Reduction
A surgical procedure for women with overly large breasts to remove glandular tissue, excess fat, and skin for a smaller and more comfortable breast size.
Breast Revision
Refers to a revisionary or secondary breast surgery to correct a complication or change the look of the breasts from the original enhancement surgery.
Buttock Implants
(See Buttocks Augmentation)
Capsule Contracture
The fibrous tissue lining that your body forms around the breast area as a natural response to a foreign object being placed in the body. The most common complications from breast augmentation surgery arise from capsule contractures.
Cannula
A surgical tube, inserted into the body, used for the removal of fat during liposuction.
Crease (inframammary) Breast Incision
The most common incision site for breast enhancement surgery that is made in the crease under the breast.
Cubic centimeters (cc)
The measurement standard for the amount of volume a breast implant will hold.
Implant Rupture (Deflation)
A breast implant complication where the implant is punctured, causing the implant solution to leak into the body.
Gynecomastia
A common condition, occurring at all ages, marked by overly large breast in males.
Liposuction
The surgical suctioning of excess fat through a tube in order to contour various areas of the body.
Male Breast Reduction
A surgical procedure for men with overly large breasts (a condition known as gynecomastia) to remove glandular tissue, excess fat, and skin for a smaller breast size.
Mastopexy
Also known as a breast lift, a procedure where excess skin is trimmed and supporting tissue is tightened to give the breasts a more lifted, youthful look.
Mini Tummy Tuck
(See Partial Abdominoplasty)
Mommy Makeover
A combination of post-maternity breast and body reshaping surgical procedures to enhance the look of a woman’s body after the effects of pregnancy.
Naval Breast Incision
An incision made through the naval in breast enhancement surgery where the implants are inserted unfilled, and then placed into the breast area using an endoscope.
Nipple (Areola) Breast Incision
An incision site for breast lift surgery or for inserting a breast implant during breast enhancement surgery, which is made on the outer rim of the areola. Also known as the peri-areolar technique.
Nipple/Areolar reconstruction
The creation of a nipple mound using a flap of skin taken from other parts of the body or the reconstructed breast itself during a breast reconstruction procedure.
Partial Abdominoplasty
A smaller scale version of a full abdominoplasty where the skin is only lifted as high as the naval.
Post Bariatric Surgery
A combination of surgical procedures to trim excess skin and fat and to reshape the body after a patient has lost a significant amount of weight, either through diet and exercise or from bariatric surgery.
Superwet Liposuction
A liposuction technique, similar to tumescent liposuction, where a smaller amount of saline, anesthesia, and adrenaline solution is injected into the surgical area before suctioning.
Suction-Assisted Liposuction (SAL)
A liposuction technique where a tube, called a cannula, is moved back and forth under the skin to break up the fat layers before suctioning the excess fat from the area.
TRAM Flap Technique
A breast reconstruction technique using a flap of skin from the tummy or the transverse rectus abdominus myocutaneous, also known as TRAM flap, to reconstruct the breast.
T.U.B.A.
Stands for trans-umbilical breast augmentation or the insertion of unfilled implants through an incision in the naval during breast enhancement surgery.
Tumescent Liposuction
A type of liposuction where a patient is first injected with a solution, made up of saline, anesthesia, and adrenaline, in order to reduce pain and bleeding.
Tummy Tuck
(See Abdominoplasty)
Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction (UAL)
A liposuction technique where a special tube (cannula) emitting ultrasonic energy is used to break up and liquefy fat cells before they are suctioned out of the body.
