Breast Implant Removal in Raleigh, NC

In order to provide the best results, Dr. Lyle will optimally need to know the surgical details of your first breast augmentation. His approach to the revision procedure will depend on that information, your health history, and your particular concern or desires.

Ruptured implants will need removal, and the diagnosis of a rupture depends on the type of implant. Saline implants simply and quickly shrink in size after the implant shell develops a flaw — it is quite obvious but harmless and easily treated. A gel implant rupture is harder to detect but could be heralded by a change in shape, hardening of the breast, or a lump. In instances where surgery is necessary to correct an obvious problem, diagnostic tests may not be needed. In cases where the patient is not having a problem but is concerned about the integrity of the implant, an MRI will be recommended.

If your skin and breast tissues have stretched significantly, Dr. Lyle may recommend a breast lift in addition to the breast removal procedure. The implant and often the capsule will be removed, and the breast and nipple will be reconfigured with the lift.

The length of recovery time will vary depending on the degree of correction needed. Most patients plan for two weeks off from work. You should arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure and help you with routine activities for the first day. You will be given detailed instructions regarding healing, such as how to care for your incisions and watch for signs of infection. Patients are usually cleared for exercise at their follow-up visit about six weeks after surgery.

FAQS

1. Do my implants have to be changed every 10 years?

The answer is no.  Although implants are not expected to last a lifetime, they have been made much better in the past decade and are much more durable than the previous generations of breast implants.  The leakage rate or rupture rate for each manufacturer has been investigated and in general, at 10 years only about 10% of breast implants or less exhibit a leakage.  This is usually nonsymptomatic and can only be determined by radiological investigation.  Dr. Lyle does recommend imaging at 10 years to test the integrity of the implant.  High resolution ultrasound is probably the most cost effective although MRI is considered the gold standard test.  Certainly, any changes in the implants should warrant a trip to your plastic surgeon for a physical examination and to determine the next step in diagnosis if a rupture is suspected.  Routine removal and replacement is not recommended but changes in the implant such as encapsulation or positional changes or desire for smaller or larger breast implants usually begin to occur after the 10 year mark.  Certainly if a rupture is suspected implant replacement or removal alone will be recommended.

2.  What will I look like if I do not replace my breast implants?

This all depends on what sort of changes have occurred since the original augmentation.  Many women have gained weight or developed drooping and the breast may have a deflated appearance.  It is unlikely that you will go back to exactly what you used to look like since the breast tissue and skin has been stretched out.  An experienced plastic surgeon can often predict what sort of outcome can be expected based on your soft tissue characteristics as well as the size of the implant.  Obviously very large implants in a patient who has had very little breast tissue results in more noticeable abnormality.  Many women are very happy with the appearance of the breast after explantation and chose is not to do anything else.

3.  How do I know if I need a breast lift ?

Generally, if the nipple is falling below the inframammary fold, removal of a breast implant will result in very low set breasts with nipples pointing downward.  The breast will appear quite saggy.  In smaller breasted women, minor breast lifts can be performed or in many cases no breast lift is indicated.  In some cases it is safest to remove the implant and see how the breast looks after things have settled down to determine the best course for future surgery.

4.  Do you have to remove the capsule when getting a breast implant?

The answer to this is not always.  In many cases the capsule is very flimsy and just represents a thin layer of scar tissue and cells called fibroblasts which are normal in the capsule and do not cause any issues.  In very thick capsules which occur during capsular contracture or breast implant rupture, the capsule is often removed because leaving it behind can leave silicone material present ( in rupture cases) or can cause fluid to collect in the old capsule.  In some cases the capsule may be beneficial such as in fat transfer where the nonpathological capsule helps fat retention by preventing it from leaking out.

5.  Can I use my own fat to replace my breast implant?

Fat transfer to the breast is a popular procedure after breast implant removal but the fat placed never replaces the volume of the breast implant.  The fat is not placed in the old cavity or pocket where the breast implant was; to do so would lead to the death of the fat cells as they would have no blood supply to keep them alive.  During fat transfer, liposuction is used to gently harvest fat  but avoid injury to the cells.  The fat is processed and washed and must be in small particles rather than large globules.  The fat is then injected in very small amounts throughout the breast usually in the subcutaneous space and sometimes in the muscle or underthe capsule but generally aggressive fat transfer into the breast tissue itself is avoided as it can cause suspicious calcifications , lumps or oil cysts within the breast tissue that may be palpable or interfere with interpretation of mammograms.  In general, fat transfer helps to prevent deformities or enhances  the breast in a conservative fashion and also help improve volume especially in breast lift cases.  But it would be extremely rare to end up with the same cup size as the original breast implant had provided.