CLASSIFICATION OF CAPSULAR CONTRACTURE AFTER PROSTHETIC BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

The Baker classification of capsular contracture remains the most popu lar and practical method of assessing clinical firmness of the breast after augmentation mammaplasty. This classification system was never i ntended to describe prosthetic breast reconstruction. A modification o f the Baker classification to include classes IA, IB, II, III, and TV has been developed to describe breast reconstruction more accurately. For this modified system, a soft but visible implant (class IB), an im plant with mild firmness (class II), and an implant with moderate firm ness (class III) could still be considered good or excellent outcomes. Only a class IV classification with an excessively firm and symptomat ic breast resulting in a poor aesthetic result would necessarily be co nsidered a poor outcome.