Breast Implant Replacement

Transcript

Silicone breast implants do not last forever. There is no exact time point when you must have your implants exchanged, but usually after about 12 to 15 years, the look of the breast will deteriorate to such an extent that patients may request implant exchange surgery. Beyond the look or aesthetics, there are several other reasons why patients might want or need to have their implants exchanged, and a thorough discussion of the options is required for each patient. These reasons include implant rupture or the development of a capsular contracture, where the internal scar around the implants thicken, leading to a hardening, distortion of the breast and sometimes pain. Before deciding on the details of implant exchange, it may be important to undergo an ultrasound or MRI examination of the breasts and implants. This can help in the decision-making and in planning an operation. The operation itself, which is then carried out under general anaesthetic, depends on the problem, the results of any imaging and of course the patient's desires. It can range from a very simple implant exchange, which is carried out as a day case procedure, or a much more complex exchange, together with capsule removal and adjustment to the breast implant pocket, which means that you will need to stay in hospital overnight. Patients might want to reduce or increase the size of their implants, or they may wish to change the shape of the breast. For this reason, breast implant exchange is often carried out in combination with either fat transfer or uplift surgery. It's important to recognise that changing your implants does not mean that you will get the same results you had at the time of your initial implant surgery all those years ago. This is because the breast tissue will have been damaged by previous surgery and of course you will have aged over time. And this means we need to be realistic about outcomes from implant exchange. I spend a great deal of time trying to manage patients' expectations before implant exchange surgery so that they fully understand the likely outcome of their operation.