Breast reconstruction with a breast implant placed above the chest muscle

A breast implant that's placed on top of the chest muscle is called a pre-pectoral breast implant. It's often done in two operations. First, a surgeon places a tissue expander under the skin. The tissue expander is a temporary breast implant. It works like a balloon. The size can be adjusted to the size you prefer. In a second operation, a surgeon removes the expander and replaces it with a breast implant.