Raleigh Woman Undergoes Implant Exchange to Submuscular Silicone Gel Implants*

This 56-year-old woman had sub glandular saline breast implants placed over 14 years prior to coming to Dr. Lyle for revision. She did not like the feel or look of her implants. She wished to be a bit larger and softer. She had 235 cc saline implants removed from the prepectoral position with capsulectomy. The new silicone gel implants ( Alllergan smooth SRM 345 cc) were placed in the submuscular pocket to decrease palpability and provide a more vascular space to reduce future contracture. She was very happy with her softer, more natural looking implants. Site change is a term used in breast revision where the implant location is changed usually because of capsular contracture but also because of palpability or visibility of implant when it is sub glandular space. Dr. Glenn Lyle is a board-certified plastic surgeon with 30 years of experience. His background in breast reconstruction makes him uniquely skilled correcting breast implant problems created by prior surgery. Implant exchange is a very common cosmetic procedure. When patients undergo breast augmentation, they must realize that the implants are not lifetime devices and problems such as implant deflation or leakage, implant malposition, capsular contracture can occur during the patient's lifetime. Monitoring of breast implants with ultrasound and other imaging studies is recommended especially with silicone gel breast implants...