submuscular

Submuscular is an anatomical and medical term describing something located beneath a muscle or within a plane beneath the muscular layer. The word combines sub- meaning under with muscular, and it is used to specify the relative position of tissues, implants, or surgical planes. It is contrasted with subcutaneous (under the skin), subfascial (under the fascia), and intramuscular (within the muscle).

In clinical practice, submuscular placement or dissection refers to situating structures beneath a muscle. A well-known example is breast augmentation, where implants may be placed in a submuscular plane beneath the pectoralis major muscle. Submuscular placement provides greater soft-tissue coverage, which can reduce implant visibility and rippling, especially in patients with thin tissue. Variations such as partial submuscular or dual-plane techniques place parts of the implant beneath the muscle and other parts beneath glandular or fascial tissue, balancing coverage, stability, and mobility. Risks can include longer recovery, muscle-related pain or spasm, and in some cases animation deformities when the pectoral muscle contracts.

Submuscular descriptions also appear in other surgical contexts, where a plane beneath a muscle is used to access deeper structures or to place devices with the aim of protecting superficial tissues or improving contour. In anatomy, the term is used to describe normal or pathological relationships where a structure lies under a specific muscle, such as a submuscular space or compartment.

See also: subcutaneous, intramuscular, subfascial, dual-plane.