The keller funnel is a cone shaped device to help put gel implants into the body. It is shaped like a bag used to squeeze icing onto cakes.
Why would we use it?
The keller funnel is not standard. They only suggest it for silicone gel implants. I haven’t seen scientific articles supporting its use, other than an article about bacterial transference- of course I will share that article in a later blog.
The keller funnel is interesting though. I used it for an implant placement recently, and it allows you to squeeze the implant into the pocket in what feels like a smoother way. I got the literature from the company on their product. They hedge their claims, as they state, “The Keller Funnel May Potentially…”
- decrease incision length
- change post operative bruising and discomfort
- reduce the force used to place the implant, and may change rupture potential
- affect surgery time
- and change infection based complications
Hmmm. I’m not sure how I feel about all of those claims. But the ideas I think hold merit are:
- It allows you to do a “no touch” technique. Some doctors feel that the more you touch the implant with your gloves, the higher the risk of infection and injury to the implant. The keller funnel has a special interior coating which is quite slippery. I, the surgeon, plop the implant into the funnel. I don’t have to ever touch the implant directly. I then squeeze the funnel, with the tip of the funnel bypassing the skin, so the implant doesn’t touch the skin either.
- It may decrease contact of the implant with the skin and breast. This may decrease possible bacterial contamination. If you have read any of my blogs on biofilm, the risks of different incisions and the like, you know I like this aspect of it.
- It may decrease trauma to the implant. When placing a silicone gel implant, you have to get the big implant through a tiny incision. The slippery funnel may help move the implant inside. According to their literature, in “an engineering study conducted by Keller Medical the Keller funnel uses less force than traditional implant delivery methods. Less force means less stress on the implant shell, which reduces both short and long term complications.”
Sounds great. Why not use it on everyone?
It isn’t indicated for saline implants. There isn’t clear science that it does what it says it does. And then there is the cost.
But I do think the keller funnel is interesting.