Breast Reconstruction and Saline Implants

Breast Reconstruction - Other Known Risks

Calcium Deposits in the Tissue Around the Breast Implant

Calcium depositsmay form in the tissue around a breast implant and may cause pain and hardening of scar tissue. In some cases, these deposits may need to be surgically removed.

Additional Surgeries

You should understand there is a fairly high chance you will need to have additional surgery at some point to replace or remove the breast implant. Also, problems such as rupture, capsular contracture, infection, shifting and calcium deposits can require removal of the breast implants. Discuss the risk of these additional surgeries with your physician. Many women decide to have the breast implants replaced, but some women do not.

Infection

Infection can occur with any surgery. The frequency of infection with breast implant surgery is not known, but as a prospective patient, you should ask your physician what his or her experience has been. Most infections resulting from surgery appear within a few days to weeks after the operation. However, infection is possible at any time after surgery. Infections with foreign bodies present (such as breast implants) are harder to treat than infections in normal body tissues. If an infection does not respond to antibiotics, the implant may have to be removed. After the infection is treated, a new breast implant can usually be put in.

Hematoma

A hematoma is a collection of blood inside the body (in this case, around the breast implant or around the incision). Swelling, pain, and bruising may result. The chance of getting a hematoma is not known, but if you are considering breast implants you should ask your physician about his or her experience. If a hematoma occurs, it will usually be soon after surgery. (It can also occur at any time after injury to the breast.) Small hematomas are absorbed by the body, but large ones may have to be drained surgically for proper healing. Surgical draining causes scarring, which is minimal in most women.

Delayed Wound Healing

In rare instances, the breast implant can stretch the skin abnormally, depriving it of blood supply and allowing the breast implant to push out through the skin. This complication usually requires additional surgery.

Changes in Nipple or Breast Sensation

Changes in sensation may result from breast implant surgery. These changes may be temporary or permanent. They may affect sexual response and the response of the nipple during breast feeding.

Shifting of the Breast Implant

Sometimes an implant may shift from its initial placement, giving the breasts an unnatural look. If the breast implant shifts, it may become possible to feel the breast implant through the skin. Other problems with appearance could include incorrect breast implant size, visible scars, uneven appearance, and wrinkling of the breast implant.

Unknown Risks

Connective Tissue and Related Disorders. These illnesses include autoimmune disorders such as lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as disorders such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Some women with breast implants have experienced these disorders as well as a variety of symptoms that could be related to the immune system. However, these symptoms may be present without breast implants or connective tissue disease. It is unclear at this time whether the signs and symptoms experienced by these women are related to their breast implants. In some cases, women have reported a reduction in symptoms after their breast implants were removed; in other cases, there was no change in symptoms after their breast implants were removed. Several human studies have been completed recently, which provide substantial, but not complete, information about any possible link between breast implants and immune-related disorders. These studies provide reassurance that the risk of developing a connective tissue disease due to breast implants is not high. Taken together, these studies tell us that the vast majority of women with breast implants will not develop defined immune-related disorders from their breast implants. Breast-Feeding and Children. At this time it is not known what effect breast implants have on lactation. Any breast surgery may impair breast feeding. A woman with breast implants who has questions about risks while pregnant or breast feeding should consult her physician. Cancer. At this time, there is no scientific evidence that women with silicone-filled breast implants are more susceptible to cancer than other women. Two large studies have shown no increase in the incidence of breast cancer in women with breast implants for either augmentation or reconstruction. However, the possibility has not been ruled out and further research is being conducted. Lifetime effects are currently unknown.