Enhancing Outcomes: The Keller Funnel’s Role in Breast Augmentation

Like a pastry bag you use to frost your favorite cupcakes, the Keller Funnel is an innovative tool that revolutionizes breast augmentation procedures. Design ed for silicone implant insertion, it provides a no-touch to minimal-touch technique that improves and enhances your breast augmentation  procedure. By streamlining the process, the Keller Funnel offers several patient benefits, including reduced risk of capsular contracture and improved overall outcomes. Here we take an in-depth look at this effective approach to breast augmentation and how it benefits you. 

What Is the Keller Funnel?  

The Keller Funnel is a technology to make breast implant placement easier during breast augmentation. It utilizes a specialized cone-shaped funnel made of soft, sterile, and flexible material, that looks like a traditional pastry bag commonly found in the kitchen. Dr. Martin uses the Keller Funnel to streamline your silicone breast augmentation, improving implant placement and reducing potential risks during and after the procedure. The controlled environment created by the funnel allows for optimal symmetry, size, and position, resulting in more aesthetically pleasing and natural-looking results. 

Changing How Silicone Implants Are Placed 

When it comes to breast implant insertion, the type of implant plays a crucial role in the technique used. Saline implants, for example, are put into position empty and filled once in place. In contrast, silicone implants are placed when full, which can require slightly larger incisions, cause increased friction on both the implant and surrounding tissue, and lead to an increased risk of potential bacterial contamination when coming into contact with the patient’s skin during the procedure. The Keller Funnel addresses these concerns and helps reduce your risk of complications, such as capsular contracture. 

The 4-Step Keller Funnel Process 

The Keller Funnel allows Dr. Martin to gently place your silicone gel implant into place with minimal to no direct contact with the implant. This works by using the 4-step process below.  

1. Step 1 – Trimming the Funnel – The Keller Funnel is a cone-shaped tool with an interior surface that becomes extremely slippery when wet. Like a pastry bag that is cut to fit the frosting tip, the Keller Funnel is trimmed to fit the size and shape of the implants being inserted. 
2. Step 2 – Hydration – Once trimmed to size, Dr. Martin places the funnel into a sterile saline solution to hydrate and create a slippery surface to enhance the implant placement. 
3. Step 3 – Transfer of Implant – Dr. Martin opens the implant packaging and transfers the implant into the funnel. For round implants, this is a hands-free transfer when the implant goes into the funnel directly from the implant packaging, creating a no-touch technique. If you have shaped implants, they need to be hand-loaded into the funnel to ensure the correct orientation for delivery, creating a minimal-touch technique. 
4. Step 4 – Implant Placement – Once the incision is made and Dr. Martin is ready for placement, he will gently squeeze the funnel to push the implant through and into position in the surgical pocket. 

Benefits of the Keller Funnel Technique  

The Keller Funnel technique offers several benefits for patients choosing breast augmentation with silicone implants.  

• Reduced Surgical Trauma – The funnel reduces the friction and force necessary to place the implant into position, minimizing tissue trauma. 
• Smaller Incisions – While saline implants used to mean larger incisions and potential scars, the Keller Funnel allows for shorter incisions. 
• Improved Placement – The funnel allows for a more controlled implant placement into the surgical pocket, minimizing the risk of damage or distortion during insertion. 
• Reduced Bacterial Contamination – The Keller Funnel helps maintain a sterile surgical field through the no-touch transfer of the implant into position, reducing the risk of possible bacterial contamination which increases the risk of capsular contracture. 
• Improved Recovery – By helping to minimize tissue trauma, while also reducing incision size and the potential for bacterial contamination, the Keller Funnel reduces postoperative discomfort and helps promote faster recovery times. 

At Martin Plastic Surgery, Dr. Scot Martin and his team of caring professionals specialize in the use of silicone breast implants to help achieve your body contouring goals. To learn more, call 575-521-7111 to schedule a consultation and learn how this technique can give you the breast profile you are looking for.