Breast Implant Surgery
Risks & Complications
Breast Augmentation surgery is purely an elective surgery. What does this mean? It simply means that you this is not lifesaving surgery, the decision to undergo this surgery is purely based on the individual choice. Surgery always comes with risks even in the hands of the best and most experienced surgeons. . It is extremely important to comprehend the risks and its financial implications prior to saying “Yes I am ready to proceed”
Please see below some of the risks associated with the procedure:
Hematoma (a collection of blood in the pocket around the implant) which may require a return to the operating theatre for its removal under anaesthesia.
Infection either of the wound itself or within the pocket around the implant. Wound infection is managed as with any surgical wound infection with dressings and antibiotics. In contrast, when infection occurs around an implant two returns to the operating theatre will be necessary: the first to remove the implant, and the second, several months after the infection has been eradicated, to insert a new implant.
Capsular Contracture is the commonest cause of breast firmness after augmentation and its correction requires surgical revision. The incidence varies with the characteristics and placement of the implants. There are various grades of capsular contracture to determine its severity. Should this occur, you will need to decide to either remove the implants or remove and replace the implants. Do understand, that re-occurrence of capsular contracture is a known risk and this is something you will need to consider.
Scars: A scar will always result whenever the skin is surgically cut. While every effort is made to place scars in areas where they will be minimal or inconspicuous, healing and scarring is very variable in different persons and in different areas of the body of the same person. How well a person will heal cannot be exactly predicted or controlled. Pigmented, wide or thickened scars (hypertrophic or keloid) could occur if you are prone to them. If you cannot deal with the possibility of a scar – DO NOT HAVE THE SURGERY.
Asymmetry of the Breasts or Nipples: It is understood that the two sides of our face and body are different and asymmetrical and this includes the chest, breasts and nipples. Although we may wish our two sides to be identical, it is understood that it is not possible to make them so. No two breasts are mirror images of each other and in some women they can be very different. While breast implant surgery can; sometimes reduce those differences it can also sometimes magnify them.
Rupture of Implant: Implants may rupture at any time after surgery even without apparent cause. A ruptured silicone gel implant may result in gel migration, inflammation and the formation of silicone granulomas. A ruptured saline implant will simply deflate and the saline be absorbed without any harmful effect on the body. Whilst implants may be covered by warranty from the manufacturer, there will still be theatre fees and anaesthetist fees that need to be paid.
Stretch Marks: Stretch marks such as those seen on the skin of the abdomen after pregnancy or major weight loss may also occur on the breasts. The more the person’s skin has to stretch to accommodate the implant the greater the risk of developing stretch marks. Stretch marks may not appear until after pregnancy or many months or years later. If you are prone to getting stretch marks, you may very well get them after surgery even if the size of implant you choose is conservative.
Numbness: In cutting the skin small nerve endings are also cut that can result in numbness around or adjacent to the surgical area. Sensation usually returns in a matter of months or years as the small nerve endings re-grow. It may be unequal between the two sides. Most numbness goes away in time. Rarely does an area stay permanently numb. So whilst the possibility is low, the possibility is there,
Sagging of the Breasts: Many patients seem to think that they can go braless after breast implant surgery. This is not the case. Infact now with heavier weight on the chest, all the more you need support from a bra, While women with breast implants may sag no more than those women of the same breast size without implants, implants do have some weight and can over time cause some sagging of the breasts additional to that resulting from pregnancy, ageing and weight gain. Weight fluctuations post surgery can affect the results.
Synmastia (‘Uni-Breast”): This refers to the loss of the normal midline separation of the two breasts. In its most advanced form the pockets on each side merge to form a single pocket. Further surgery is required to correct it. This can happen when you choose an implant larger than recommended.
Double Fold’ or ‘Double Bubble’: This refers to the persistence of the former crease under the breast along with the newly created crease thereby causing a double bubble appearance. It may improve over time. Otherwise it will require further surgery to correct it
Interference with Mammograms: The presence of breast implants of any type can interfere with mammography and the early detection of breast cancer. Mammograms may also be more uncomfortable with implants since they require squeezing the breast with pressure. This pressure of mammography could rupture a silicone gel implant or cause deflation of a saline implant
Muscle Weakness: Whenever the implants are placed under the muscle some weakness of the muscle usually results because of the partial detachment of the muscle from the ribs that is necessary to accommodate the implant. So be warned that you will not have the same muscle strength as you did before surgery.
One must accept and recognise that the practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science and you paying for the performance of the surgery not a guaranteed result. This is extremely important to understand.
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N.b. The Esteem Aesthetics website provides general information about surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures. General information is not a substitute for professional medical advice and treatment, and should not be accepted in place or in preference to a consultation with one of our qualified doctors.