You can find more balance between the two sides of your chest, and a shape that feels easier to live with when you get dressed, when you look in the mirror, and when you go about your day in your own body.
Poland syndrome is a condition you are born with. In it, the large chest muscle on one side (the pectoralis major) is underdeveloped or partly missing. Sometimes the breast on that side is smaller, the nipple sits off-centre, or the hand on the same side is affected too. The degree varies a great deal from person to person, so whether this surgery suits you depends on your own situation and on what you hope to change.
Everything begins with a consultation. Your doctor will examine your chest, shoulder, and hand, look at how much muscle and tissue is missing, and listen to what concerns you most. Because Poland syndrome looks so different from one person to the next, your doctor may ask for imaging such as an MRI or a CT scan to understand the structure underneath before discussing any plan.
Surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia, which means you are fully asleep throughout. Depending on the degree and on what you want, your doctor will talk through different routes: placing an implant or a custom implant shaped to your chest to fill the hollow, moving your own tissue (taking tissue from another area of your body to fill the gap), or fat grafting to build fullness gradually. The type of material, the implant brand, and the specific technique will depend on the facility.
During surgery, your doctor focuses on rebuilding the contour of your chest wall so the two sides come closer to balanced, and, if needed, adjusts the position or size of the breast and nipple. For more involved cases, the plan may be split into several stages rather than done all at once.
After the incisions are closed, you are watched in a recovery area before going to your room. Your doctor will show you how to care for the wound, how to wear a support garment if one is advised, and when to come back so your healing can be followed.
Reconstruction for Poland syndrome aims for balance and for greater comfort in your own body, not for perfect symmetry. Understanding this from the start helps you and your doctor set goals you can both believe in.
Recovery differs depending on which method you choose and how much surgery is involved. The stages below are typical time frames to help you picture the path, not exact numbers for everyone.
Every surgery carries risk, and you deserve to understand it clearly before you decide. Your doctor will talk through these risks based on your own situation and the method chosen for you.
Poland syndrome has no single plan that fits everyone, so we begin by carefully understanding the structure underneath that is unique to you, through examination and imaging, before discussing any option. The doctors here work with reconstruction and conditions present from birth, and they will speak honestly with you about what surgery can and cannot offer.
We treat the consultation as a place for you to ask plenty of questions and understand clearly, not a place to decide in a hurry. When a case needs to be split into stages for a safer, more balanced result, your doctor will lay out that path clearly so you can weigh it together.
You will not feel anything during the operation because you are under anaesthesia. Afterward, pain and tightness in the first few days are common, and pain medicine as prescribed helps you keep it under control.
Every surgery leaves a scar. Your doctor tries to place the incision in the most discreet spot possible for the method used. Scars usually fade over time, though how much varies from person to person.
Many people return to light work in about 1 to 2 weeks, but this depends on the type of surgery and the nature of your job. Your doctor will advise you based on your own case.
The goal is to make the two sides more balanced and harmonious when you look at them and when you wear clothes. How natural it looks depends on your starting point and the method chosen; your doctor will talk through what is realistic to achieve.
No. Complete symmetry is very hard to reach for anyone. Surgery aims to improve balance rather than create two identical sides.
Age on its own does not rule you out. What matters more is your overall health and whether your chest has settled. Your doctor will assess whether now is a suitable time for you.
Both routes have their own pros and cons, and the choice depends on how much is missing, your build, and what you want. This is one of the things you and your doctor will discuss carefully during the consultation.
You might. More involved cases are sometimes split into several stages for a safer and more balanced result. With fat grafting, some of the fat can be reabsorbed, so an extra session is occasionally needed. Your doctor will explain the path you can expect.
This depends on the method and how much the breast tissue is involved. If this matters to you, raise it with your doctor right at the consultation so it can be weighed when the plan is made.
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The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.