Breast augmentation using silicone implants is a popular cosmetic surgical procedure. The aesthetic and transformative effects of these implants bring a natural feel and appearance to the body contours.
Like any other surgical prostheses, silicone breast implants have some risks, such as leaking or implant silicone rupture. This blog aims to detail the reasons, signs, and treatment for a ruptured implant so that the patients can make deliberate decisions.
What Are Silicone Breast Implants?
One of the ways in which a breast augmentation procedure changes the shape and size of the breasts is by using implants. There are two kinds of breast implants available: saline implants, and silicone implants. Both these implants have an outer silicone shell that is either filled with silicone gel or sterile saline.
Out of the two, people mostly use silicone implants because they feel and seem natural. Silicone breast implants have a lesser incidence of rippling and may last for some 20+ years.
Why do People Get Silicone Breast Implants?
Many individuals choose silicone or other types of breast implants for a variety of reasons, ranging from aesthetic preferences to medical needs. One common motivation is to enhance the size of naturally small or hypoplastic breasts, helping individuals achieve their desired proportions. Others seek implants to improve breast symmetry, addressing any imbalances in shape or size. Cosmetic enhancements are another significant reason, as implants can provide a fuller, more contoured appearance that aligns with personal beauty goals. Additionally, breast implants play a vital role in reconstructive surgery, helping individuals restore their breast shape and confidence.
Why do Silicone Breast Implants Rupture?
An implant silicone rupture is defined as damage to the implant’s outer shell that may cause an opening leading to the leakage of the silicone gel. A rupture may be intracapsular or extracapsular. In case of an intracapsular rupture, the silicone gel remains inside the scar tissue surrounding the outer implant shell. An extracapsular rupture means that the silicone gel is leaking outside the implant shell into the surrounding tissues.
Causes
A rupture may happen during surgery, or any time post-operatively. It can even happen decades after the breast augmentation procedure was performed. Some common causes of implant silicone rupture include:
- Traumatic damage to the silicone implant (automobile accidents)
- Aging silicone implant
- Compression damage (E.g. during Mammography, Biopsy, etc.)
- Per-operative damage from surgical instruments
- Errors of surgery
- Contracture formation in the outer capsule
- Low-quality silicone implants
- Defects of manufacturing
Types
Based on signs and symptoms, a silicone gel implant rupture is of two types:
Silent Rupture
When an implant silicone rupture doesn’t produce any outward signs and symptoms, it is known as a silent implant rupture. The silicone gel slowly trickles through the rupture into the surrounding tissue. As there are no symptoms of rupture, the situation usually goes unnoticed.
There are several effects of silicone implant rupture. These manifest in the form of long-term complications like capsular contracture, inflamed tissues, scarring, and granuloma formation.
Symptomatic Rupture
When a rupture is followed by signs/symptoms like pain, swelling, loss of contours, etc., it is known as a symptomatic implant rupture. Sometimes the silicone gel may leak into the lymph nodes or other tissues producing symptoms like tenderness, tingling sensation, and paresthesia.
What Are The Signs of Silicone Breast Implants Rupture?
Silicone gel is thick and cohesive. This means that in case of a rupture or leak, the implant will maintain its shape and not immediately deflate. Some common signs of silicone implant rupture that should be taken into account are pain or discomfort, lumpy breast surface, thickening of the breast, irregular or uneven contours.
How Is a Breast Implant Rupture Diagnosed?
Since silent ruptures in silicone gel implants occur more frequently than symptomatic ones, it challenges the silicone implant rupture rate and raises the question: How are silent ruptures detected?
The best way to detect a silent rupture is to remain vigilant, notice any sudden changes in the symmetry, contours, and shape of the breasts, and go in for screening tests every 5 years or so. The recommended scans for a silent implant rupture include an ultrasound and MRI. Both these scans are effective tools in the detection of implant abnormalities.
Some surgeons even advise a screening scan every 2 – 3 years, the longer the silicone implants are in place.
What to Do in Case of a Breast Implant Rupture?
In case of a symptomatic rupture, the rule of thumb is to immediately seek a consultation with your cosmetic surgeon. They will perform the relevant scans to confirm the diagnosis of a rupture/leak. Even though a silicone implant leak is not among the immediate silicone rupture side effects, the treatment protocol is to go for surgical removal of the implant and its replacement (if desired).
Silent ruptures are harder to detect. Patients are advised to keep an eye on the shape, size, and contours of the breast post-implant surgery. It helps to go for regular screening tests and follow-up visits to detect any abnormalities. If left undetected, a silent rupture leads to significant long-term complications that will impact any possible treatment options.
Is it Possible to Prevent a Silicone Gel Implant Rupture?
To ensure that the silicone breast implants last long and reduce the risk of rupture, patients can take some precautions both before and after the procedure. First of all, choosing an experienced surgeon to increase the success rate of the procedure Is important. While choosing the doctor is important, it is also vital to choose the facility. The facility should meet the hygiene standards. After choosing the facility, it is necessary to learn the quality of the implants to avoid the post-op risks. Following the instructions of your surgeon after the procedure is another thing to consider. Adhering to the follow-up sessions is also equally important to determine potential issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the silicone implant rupture rate?
The silicone implant rupture rate is not high. It is limited to approximately 1% to 2% of implants yearly. The rupture rate may slightly increase, the older an implant gets, therefore regular screening visits to your surgeon are important.
Is a ruptured implant a medical emergency?
No, a ruptured silicone implant is not a medical emergency. If detected or suspected, a visit to the doctor is advised as soon as possible to avoid any long-term effects of silicone implant rupture.
Is silicone poisoning one of the silicone implant rupture side effects?
No, it is not. The silicone gel in breast implants is non-toxic and won’t cause silicone poisoning.
How long can a leaking silicone breast implant stay in the body safely?
There is no certain explanation for how long a leaking implant may stay in the body. Its side effects depend on the extent of leakage and how the body responds to it. If a leak is detected, it is important to remove the implant and replace it as soon as possible.
