Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture, the scar tissue that forms around the implant which causes the breasts to harden, exists in four grades. In the occurrence of grade III or IV, the patient is generally subjected to another surgery to either remove the implant capsule tissue or to replace it, which does not necessarily prevent capsule contracture from happening again. Moreover, capsular contracture is also the complication that most frequently leads patients for additional surgeries. Based on a study funded by the Dow Corning Corporation that consisted of the follow up of cohort women with breast implants, capsular contracture has a prevalence of a.6% to 100% (http://gateway.ut.ovid.com/gw1/ovidweb.cgi )

In order to conduct this study, 754 cohort women from eight plastic surgery clinics were chosen based on their implant placement, the placement of skin incision, implant type, volume, as well as implant surface. These women were then followed up for a determined period of time. At the end of follow-up, the data obtained from each clinic was then combined. As a result from this study, 82.5% women underwent reimplantation due to capsular contracture. Almost 31.2% of those implants were double lumen textured, 27.8% were single lumen textured implant, 0.8% was double lumen with smooth surface, and the rest of the implants had incomplete information. To this end one may infer that capsular contracture occurs regardless of the type and placement of the implant.

Deflation

While saline-filled breast implants exude only salt water when they rupture, the health effects of the presence of extracapsular silicone and hydrogel gel in the body remain controversial. Nevertheless, according to a study cited by the American Journal of Roentgenology, the numbers of percentages of breast implant ruptures are great, and the chances of them occurring obtrusively are even greater (Prevalence of Rupture of Silicone Gel Implants Revealed on MR Imaging in a Population of Women in Birmingham, Alabama, 2000). This result is worrisome viewing that not all the health risks of implants’ substances in the body have been identified.

From the 344 women who participated in this study, about 236 of them had prevalence of rupture by the standard criterion, and about 8.4% of the original number made up ‘indeterminate’ grading—ruptures in double lumen implants that are often not easily identifiable. I will talk more about double lumen and single lumen implants later on. The reasons for those ruptures were reported being caused by normal aging of the implant, stresses such as trauma or intense physical pressure, capsular contracture, and other postoperative complications. This study only proves that breast implants are not lifetime devices; hence, ruptures can befall at any time and reoperations must be performed.

Also, ruptures in saline-filled breast implants are often easy to tell for they lose its original size and shape—they deflate, and the saline solution immediately leaks into the body. Most of the ‘indeterminate’ grading rupture, also known as ‘silent rupture’, occurs on silicone-gel filled breast implants. As I mentioned before, they aren’t easy to detect; thus, a MRI is recommended at least every three years after the procedure. Symptoms such as burning, pain, lumps, and swelling surrounding the implant or in the armpit may also occur.

Susceptible Risks of Breast Implants

As with any surgical procedure, breast implants are subjected to local complication such as infections during or after the operation, hematoma formation, anesthesia reactions, seroma, and scarring. The occasions on which a patient from breast surgery contracts severe infection resulting in Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) are rare; nonetheless, it may happen. In this event a removal procedure may be necessary, especially if the infection does not respond to antibiotics. Scarring and seroma are ineluctable; however, surgical techniques may be performed to make them less conspicuous. Nevertheless, among other risks factors we have deflation and capsular contracture.

Commonly Used Implants

Breast implants have been mainly designed for the purpose of reconstructing breasts (after mastectomy), or to simply augmenting them. Regardless of the plethora of attempts to generate types of breast implants; however, only a few of them have been acknowledge: hydrogel filled implants, saline-filled, and silicone filled implants. Moreover, there is also currently in development a tissue engineering implant, which consists of grafting stilt cells originated from liposuctioned fat with a suitable framework material to produce a Tissue Engineered Breast Implant. According to Dr. Mao Jeremy, this tissue implant has the potential to fundamentally change not only breast surgeries but also other reconstructive surgery (cited in Roberts, 2005). Nonetheless, the outcomes remain to be seen.

PLASTIC SURGERY: BREAST IMPLANTS

For many societies, breasts have been since early times the synonym of femininity, one of women’s greatest physical attributes. They have been the symbol of sexiness, attractiveness, and often, the reflection of women’s role in those societies. ). They have been the keys to fulfill women’s wish to meliorate their quality of living. Hence, approaches to enhance this wonderful attribute, such as breast implant surgeries, have been made.

The decision to undergo a breast enhancement procedure is very personal, and making informed decision about the procedure is essential; thus, I decided to create this blog site to first educate people about breast implant surgeries, and then to update them on the newest studies.

Starting by the definition, breast implants (also known as breast augmentation, mammoplasty enlargement, or boob job) are prosthesis implanted under breast tissue or under the chest muscle that can increase a woman’s bust line by one or more sizes. They have primarily been created for cosmetic reasons and reconstruction (the replacement of a breast tissue that has been removed due to cancer and other); and since they were first manufactured during the 1960s, more than 2 million women have undergone the procedure.

When choosing to undergo breast enlargement surgery, you must first go over important consideration such the type of implants and the risks of the procedure.