Richard V. Dowden, M.D., C.M., F.A.C.S.

Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, Inc.
6770 Mayfield Road, Suite 410
(Mayfield Heights) Cleveland, Ohio 44124
(440) 449-7470


Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about
breast enlargement via the navel ( TUBA ):

What are the specifications for the different implants?

The following specifications pertain to several standard implants made by the two leading US-based companies. Most of them have comments and suggested volumes about "overfill" to reach the "Optimal fill". These terms are very confusing and often misunderstood. For a full discussion, please refer to the following: http://dr-dowden.com/faqs/implover.html

You must be aware that the implant dimensions provided by the manufacturers (here marked Diam and Proj for Diameter and Projection) are not the dimensions when the implant actually is inside a person but rather what the measurements are when the implant is lying on a hard completely flat surface front upwards, a very abnormal configuration. Diameter (or Width and Height) is in centimeters and projection is in millimeters.

The column on the farthest right, suggested fill to reach the Optimal volume to decrease wrinkling and prolong implant lifespan, are my personal opinion based upon my own experience, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of any other person nor the implant manufacturer. Please be aware that as time goes by, more information is gathered from other surgeons about implant fill in relation to rippling and implant longevity. As the result, my opinions about the various specific implant Optimal volumes is subject to adjustment and change, and will continually be updated at intervals. Please refer to the date given below to know whether your copy of this page is the most up-to-date available.

Mentor: 1400 1600 1800 3000 2400 2500 2600 2700 2800 2900 4000 7000 Becker Becker-50

McGhan: 60 68 133 163 168 363 468

 
McGhan 60 Smooth Posterior-valve Round - OBSOLETE
(Needed Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size       Catalog#    Diam    Proj    Optimal
120-150    25-60121      9      29     162-165
180-210    25-60181     10      38     227-231
220-250    25-60221     10      41     270-275
280-310    25-60281     11      46     335-341
320-350    25-60321     11      48     378-385
400-430    25-60401     12      51     465-473
500-530    25-60501     13      53     572-583
560-590    25-60561     14      54     637-649
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McGhan 68 Smooth Anterior-valve Round
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size       Catalog#    Dia     Proj    Optimal
120-150    25-68121      9      21     160-165
150-180    25-68151     10      24     190-200
180-210    25-68181     10      27     220-235
210-240    25-68211     11      29     255-265
240-270    25-68241     11      30     290-300
270-300    25-68271     12      32     320-330
300-330    25-68301     12      34     350-365
330-360    25-68331     13      34     380-400
360-390    25-68361     13      35     415-435
390-420    25-68391     14      35     445-465
420-450    25-68421     14      37     480-500
450-480    25-68451     14      38     510-535
480-510    25-68481     15      38     540-565
510-540    25-68511     15      40     575-600
550-600    25-68551     15      42     635-665
600-650    25-68601     16      45     690-720
650-700    25-68651     16      46     740-780
700-750    25-68701     16      47     800-835
750-800    25-68751     17      50     850-890
800-850    25-68801     17      51     910-945
Back to List of Styles

 
Mentor 1400 Smooth Posterior valve Round "Spectrum"
(Overfill NOT needed to reach Optimal fill except smallest)
Therefore these dimensions are when filled to Optimal
Note: These are sometimes used as adjustable implants.
Note: Can NOT have saline added later once the port is out.
Size       Catalog#    Dia   Proj    Optimal
125-150    350-1410      9    32     150-165    
175-210    350-1420     10    38     205-210
225-270    350-1430     11    43     255-270
275-330    350-1440     12    46     310-330
325-390    350-1450     12    49     370-390
375-450    350-1460     13    49     430-450
425-510    350-1470     14    48     485-510
475-570    350-1480     14    54     540-570
525-630    350-1485     14    56     590-630
575-690    350-1490     14    60     640-690
625-750    350-1495     15    61     700-750
700-840    350-1497     15    65     790-840
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Mentor 1600 Smooth Anterior Diaphragm valve Round
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size        Catalog#    Dia    Proj    Optimal   Ref 1400
125-150     350-1610     10     30     150-165     150
150-175     350-1615     10     31     180-195     ---
175-200     350-1620     11     33     205-210     210
200-225     350-1625     11     34     230-250     ---
225-250     350-1630     11     35     255-270     270
250-275     350-1635     12     36     280-300     ---
275-300     350-1640     12     37     310-330     330
300-325     350-1645     13     37     330-360     ---
325-375     350-1650     13     38     370-390     390
350-400     350-1655     14     39     410-430     ---
375-425     350-1660     14     40     430-450     450
425-475     350-1670     14     41     485-510     510
475-525     350-1680     15     42     540-570     570
525-575     350-1685     15     42     590-630     630
575-625     350-1690     15     45     640-690     690
625-675     350-1695     15     46     700-750     750
700-775     350-1697     16     49     790-840     840
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Mentor 1800 Smooth Posterior Leaf valve Round - OBSOLETE
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Not advised to surgically add more saline later
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size        Catalog#    Dia    Proj    Optimal   Ref 1400
125-150     350-1810M    10     30     150-165     150
150-175     350-1815M    10     31     180-195     ---
175-200     350-1820M    11     33     205-210     210
200-225     350-1825M    11     34     230-250     ---
225-250     350-1830M    11     35     255-270     270
250-275     350-1835M    12     36     280-300     ---
275-300     350-1840M    12     37     310-330     330
300-325     350-1845M    13     37     330-360     ---
325-375     350-1850M    13     38     370-390     390
350-400     350-1855M    14     39     410-430     ---
375-425     350-1860M    14     40     430-450     450
425-475     350-1870M    14     41     485-510     510
475-525     350-1880M    15     42     540-570     570
525-575     350-1885M    15     42     590-630     630
575-625     350-1890M    15     45     640-690     690
625-675     350-1895M    15     46     700-750     750
700-775     350-1897M    16     49     790-840     840
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Mentor 3000 Smooth Anterior diaphragm valve Round 
These implants are more spherical in shape than
any other implant of identical volume. 
(Overfill NOT needed to reach Optimal fill;
These dimensions are when filled to Optimal)
Note: These CAN have saline added later.
Size       Catalog#    Dia    Proj      Optimal
170-200    350-3170    8.8    45-49     185-200
190-225    350-3190    9.1    46-51     205-225
210-250    350-3210    9.5    48-53     230-250
230-275    350-3230    9.8    49-55     255-275
250-300    350-3250   10.0    49-56     275-300
270-325    350-3270   10.2    50-58     300-325
290-350    350-3290   10.5    51-59     320-350
310-375    350-3310   10.7    53-60     345-375
330-400    350-3330   11.0    54-62     360-400
380-450    350-3380   11.4    57-64     420-450
420-500    350-3420   11.7    58-67     460-500
460-550    350-3460   12.1    60-69     505-550
500-600    350-3500   12.4    61-71     550-600
560-675    350-3560   13.1    64-73     620-675
630-750    350-3630   13.4    67-74     690-750
NOTE: The optimal fill volumes are preliminary estimates
based upon the dimensions and on experience with other
implants, and these figures may be changed in the future.       
Back to List of Styles

 
McGhan 163 Textured Posterior-valve Teardrop
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size        Catalog#     Width  Height Proj  Optimal
360-380     27-163361     12     12     49     380-395
440-460     27-163441     12     13     52     465-480
530-555     27-163531     13     15     55     560-580
655-690     27-163656     14     16     58     695-720
780-820     27-163781     15     17     61     830-860
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McGhan 363 Textured Horiz Teardrop
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size        Catalog#     Width  Height Proj  Optimal
230-240     27-363231     12     10     44     245-255
310-325     27-363311     13     11     48     330-340
390-410     27-363391     14     12     54     415-430
510-535     27-363511     15     13     58     540-560
650-685     27-363651     16     14     61     690-720
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McGhan 168 Textured Anterior-valve Round
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Note: These dimensions are when NOT filled to the Optimal!
      Filling to the Optimal slightly increases projection.
Size       Catalog#     Dia    Proj     Optimal
120-150    25-168121      9      21     160-165
150-180    25-168151     10      24     190-200
180-210    25-168181     10      27     220-235
210-240    25-168211     11      29     255-265
240-270    25-168241     11      30     290-300
270-300    25-168271     12      32     320-330
300-330    25-168301     12      34     350-365
330-360    25-168331     13      34     380-400
360-390    25-168361     13      35     415-435
390-420    25-168391     14      35     445-465
420-450    25-168421     14      37     480-500
450-480    25-168451     14      38     510-535
480-510    25-168481     15      38     540-565
510-540    25-168511     15      40     575-600
550-600    25-168551     15      42     635-665
600-650    25-168601     16      45     690-720
650-700    25-168651     16      46     740-780
700-750    25-168701     16      47     800-835
750-800    25-168751     17      50     850-890
800-850    25-168801     17      51     910-945
Back to List of Styles

 
McGhan 468 Textured Anterior-valve Anatomic
(Overfill NOT needed to reach Optimal fill)
Therefore these dimensions are when filled to Optimal
Note: Can have saline added later surgically
Size        Catalog#    Width   Proj   Optimal
195-205     27-468196     10     40     200-205
230-240     27-468231     11     42     235-240
270-285     27-468271     12     43     275-285
300-315     27-468301     12     46     305-315
350-370     27-468351     12     48     355-370
380-400     27-468381     13     49     385-400
450-475     27-468451     13     53     455-475
495-520     27-468496     13     55     500-520
560-590     27-468561     14     57     565-590
620-650     27-468621     14     59     625-650
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Mentor 2400 Textured Posterior valve Round "Spectrum"
(Overfill NOT needed to reach Optimal fill)
Note: These are sometimes used as adjustable implants.
Note: Can NOT have saline added later once the port is out.
Size       Catalog#    Dia   Proj    Optimal
125-150    354-2410M     9    30     140-150    
175-210    354-2420M    10    31     200-210
225-270    354-2430M    11    43     255-270
275-330    354-2440M    12    46     315-330
325-390    354-2450M    12    47     370-390
375-450    354-2460M    13    49     430-450
425-510    354-2470M    14    42     485-510
475-570    354-2480M    14    45     540-570
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Mentor 2600 Textured Anterior-valve Round
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Size        Catalog#    Dia    Proj    Optimal
125-150     354-2610     10     30     150-165
150-175     354-2615     10     31     180-195
175-200     354-2620     11     33     205-210
200-225     354-2625     11     34     230-250
225-250     354-2630     12     35     255-270
250-275     354-2635     12     36     280-300
275-300     354-2640     12     37     310-330
300-325     354-2645     13     37     330-360
325-375     354-2650     13     38     370-390
375-425     354-2660     14     40     430-450
425-475     354-2670     14     41     485-510
475-525     354-2680     15     42     540-570
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Mentor 2800 Textured Posterior Leaf Valve - OBSOLETE
(Needs Overfill to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Not advised to  surgically add more saline later
Size        Catalog#    Dia    Proj    Optimal
125-150     354-2810M    10     30     150-165
150-175     354-2815M    10     31     180-195
175-200     354-2820M    11     33     205-210
200-225     354-2825M    11     34     230-250
225-250     354-2830M    12     35     255-270
250-275     354-2835M    12     36     280-300
275-300     354-2840M    12     37     310-330
300-325     354-2845M    13     37     330-360
325-375     354-2850M    13     38     370-390
375-425     354-2860M    14     40     430-450
425-475     354-2870M    14     41     485-510
475-525     354-2880M    15     42     540-570
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Mentor 2700 Textured Anterior-valve Contoured
(Overfill NOT needed to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Size        Catalog#   Width   Height Proj   Optimal
275-300     354-2711     12     10     51     290-300
350-400     354-2712     12     11     53     385-400
450-500     354-2713     13     11     61     480-500
550-600     354-2714     14     12     64     570-600
650-725     354-2715     15     13     66     685-725
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Mentor 2900 Textured Anterior Diaphragm valve Contour
(Overfill NOT needed to reach Optimal fill)
Note: Can surgically add more saline later
Size        Catalog#   Width   Height Proj   Optimal
175-200     354-2910     10      9     43    190-200
225-250     354-2911     11      9     45    240-250
275-300     354-2912     12     10     45    285-300
350-400     354-2913     13     11     47    380-400
425-475     354-2914     14     12     52    455-475
525-575     354-2915     15     13     56    550-575
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     EXPANDERS

 
McGhan 133 Textured Magnasite Anatomic
(Determine Optimal fill by adjustment)
Size    Catalog#    Width  Height  Proj     
400     37-133400     12     13     50     
500     37-133500     13     14     50     
600     37-133600     14     15     55     
700     37-133700     15     16     60     
800     37-133800     16     17     60     
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Mentor 1400 is both an expander and implant
(See above)
Back to List of Styles

Mentor 2400 is both an expander and implant
(See above)
Back to List of Styles

 
Mentor 2500 Textured Spectrum Contour
(Determine Optimal fill by adjustment)
Size        Catalog#   Width  Height  Proj     
275-330     354-2511     12     10     51     
350-420     354-2512     12     11     53     
450-540     354-2513     13     11     61     
550-660     354-2514     14     12     64     
650-780     354-2515     15     13     66     
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     SILICONE GEL:       Expanders

 
Mentor Becker Siltex Silicone gel plus a saline compartment  
Size  Catalog#    Gel    Maxtmp  Max tmp  Saline    Total    Dia  Proj.
                  Vol    Saline  Gel+Sal   Range     Range    cm   mm            
150   354-1500     40     185     225      85-150   125-190   11   24
200   354-2000     50     250     300     125-200   175-250   12   27
200   354-2000     50     250     300     125-200   175-250   12   27
250   354-2500     60     315     375     165-255   225-315   12   30
300   354-3000     75     375     450     200-300   275-375   13   30
350   354-3500     90     435     525     235-350   325-440   14   30
400   354-4000    100     500     600     275-400   375-500   14   34
500   354-5000    125     625     750     350-500   475-625   15   37
600   354-6000    150     750     900     425-600   575-750   15   42
700   354-7000    175     875     105     500-700   675-875   17   43
800   354-8000    200    1000    1200     575-800   775-999   17   46
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Mentor Becker-50 Siltex Silicone gel plus a saline compartment (Hard to find)
Size  Catalog#    Gel    Saline     Total    Dia   Proj
                  vol     Range      Range    cm    mm             
300   354-1515    150    150-200    300-350   13    30
400   354-2020    200    200-300    400-500   14    34
500   354-2525    250    250-350    500-600   15    37
600   354-3030    300    300-425    600-725   16    42
700   354-3535    350    350-500    700-850   16    50
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     SILICONE GEL:      Implants

 
Mentor 7000 Siltex Moderate-profile
Size    Catalog#    Dia    Proj
100     354-1007      9     25
125     354-1257      9     28
150     354-1507     10     27
175     354-1757     11     28
200     354-2007     11     28
225     354-2257     11     30
250     354-2507     12     33
275     354-2757     12     34
300     354-3007     13     35
325     354-3257     13     36
350     354-3507     13     37
375     354-3757     13     38
400     354-4007     14     39
450     354-4507     14     41
500     354-5007     14     43
550     354-5507     15     44
600     354-6007     16     45
700     354-7007     17     43
800     354-8007     17     46 
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Mentor 4000 Siltex High-profile
Size    Catalog#    Dia    Proj
 75     354-0754      7     31
200     354-2004     11     33
225     354-2254     11     36
250     354-2504     11     36
275     354-2754     11     40
300     354-3004     12     39
325     354-3254     12     39
350     354-3504     13     40
400     354-4004     13     46
450     354-4504     13     49
500     354-5004     14     50
550     354-5504     14     53
Back to List of Styles

Again, note that some implants, particularly those registered with the FDA in recent years, do not require overfill to reach the Optimal volume. Why not? Simply because the manufacturers did better calculations and registered them for volume ranges that included the Optimal. In my opinion, these implant styles need overfill to get to the Optimal volume: McGhan 68 and 168, Mentor 1600 and 2600. And likewise, in my opinion, these do not: McGhan 468, Mentor 1400, 2400, 2700. So why not always use only these implants? Because they are not available in all sizes and styles.

For the past few years, there has been a widely-circulated rumor that "the implant manufacturers recently revised their fill volume ranges so that overfill is no longer necessary". That is false. That got started based upon two events in the implant manufacturing industry: first, several years ago, the manufacturers increased the stringent quality controls on manufacturing, to further reduce the already low variation in dimensions between implants of the same size; and second, when Mentor brought out the 1400 implants, they used the same exact shells as the 1600 model, but when they registered them, they did adjust the fill volume range of the 1400 upwards to include Optimal fill. That is why the 1400's do not need overfill to get to the Optimal. The Mentor 1600's, 2600's and McGhan 68's, 168's still require overfill to reach the Optimal for longer lasting implants. The rumor, unfortunately, is not true.

Remember, surprising as it may seem, even half an ounce (3 teaspoons) makes a significant difference in terms of wrinkling of some implants, although not making much difference in the size. This is all fairly complex, and must be individualized for each patient, so please discuss this all with your surgeon.

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Note that while the information given by Dr. Dowden during a consultation is completely current and up-to-date, the information of this website is only as current as the date of last update, and therefore may become out-of-date.

6770 Mayfield Road, Suite 410
(Mayfield Heights) Cleveland, Ohio 44124
(440) 449-7470

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Last Update: 8:44 PM on 06/01/2008
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Keywords: Breast implants through the navel; Transumbilical breast implants; Belly-button breast implants; Through-the-navel breast enlargement; Through-the-navel breast augmentation; Trans-umbilical breast augmentation; Trans-umbilical breast enlargement; Belly-button breast enlargement; Belly-button breast augmentation; Breast enlargement through the navel; Breast augmentation through the navel; Navel breast enlargement; Navel breast augmentation; 'Scarless' breast enlargement; 'Scarless' breast augmentation.