Breast Surgery questions

Both have a silicone shell. Saline is approved for augmentation from age 18 and collapses visibly if it leaks. Silicone gel is approved from age 22, feels more like breast tissue and usually ruptures silently.[1][2][3]

The FDA says implants are not lifetime devices and their life cannot be predicted. ASPS advises exchange or removal about every 10 to 15 years. In the Natrelle Core Study, 81.8% of augmentation patients still had an original implant at 10 years.[1][2][3]

Implant labeling has included updated rupture screening recommendations since 2021. MRI is the most effective test for silent rupture and ultrasound is an acceptable alternative. Insurance may not cover these exams.[1][2]

Since 27 October 2021 the labeling of every breast implant includes a boxed warning and a patient decision checklist. The provider reviews it with the patient, the patient can initial and sign it, and the implanting physician signs it. Patients also receive a device card.[1]

A lymphoma of the immune system that forms in the fluid or scar capsule around an implant, more often with textured implants. A Dutch study found 1 case per 6,920 women with implants by age 75. Treatment is removal of the implant and the full capsule.[1][2][3]

The FDA does not recommend removing textured or other implants in patients without symptoms. Persistent swelling, a lump or pain near the implant should be checked.[1]

A name patients use for symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and joint pain. It is not a formal diagnosis and has no test. In a prospective study of 150 women, 88% of those with symptoms reported at least partial improvement 1 year after removal, regardless of the type of capsulectomy.[1][2]

Removal of the implant together with the scar capsule around it. Removing the implant alone needs less dissection and carries less risk of bleeding. Confirmed BIA-ALCL calls for removal of the implant and the capsule.[1]

Many women can. Across 11 studies, 82.25% of women with implants breastfed, less often than women without implants. Some women who have augmentation cannot breastfeed.[1][2]

In a prospective study of 179 patients, breast-related pain all or most of the time fell from 50% before surgery to under 10% after. Weight loss, physical therapy, special bras and medications did not give lasting relief.[1]