Breast Implant Ruptures And Leakage

Silicone and saline implants have been the standard for breast augmentation surgeries in the United States for a long period of time. This is truer for saline implants since silicone gel implants were only recently approved for unrestricted use. Now there is a new implant on the scene, and it is called a cohesive gel implant. It is also referred to as a Gummy Bear Breast Implant.

Silicone and saline implants have been under scrutiny for many years regarding their general safety when it came to implant rupture and leakage. What causes an implant to rupture? There are a variety of reasons, including damage during implantation (or other surgical procedures), folding or wrinkling of the implant's shell, and even trauma or excessive force against the chest area.

When a saline implant ruptures, it is very obvious. The breast will deflate very quickly and the saline solution will be absorbed into the body and passed via urination. When it comes to safety concerns, saline implants are arguably the safest implant currently available.

When a silicone gel implant ruptures, it is not so easy to notice. More than likely the patient will not be able to tell if there is silicone leakage, and there's a strong chance that your surgeon will not be able to tell either. Silicone gel leaks are often referred to as "silent ruptures" because it is so difficult to spot the rupture or leakage without an MRI.

At the present time there is very little data regarding breaks or ruptures with cohesive gel implants. Why? Because it hasn't happened to the extent that it has occurred with saline or silicone implants. It is believed that there would be no leakage if a cohesive implant ruptured because the implant is one solid mass, and not a form of liquid.

The FDA recommends all women have MRIs performed at their third anniversary of their breast augmentation procedure. After that, the FDA recommends an MRI every two years. It is generally accepted that an MRI is the best method for detecting a ruptured breast implant. And because of the nature of the way cohesive gel implants are structured, an MRI may be the only way to discover if one breaks.

Women should realize that the cost of an MRI every few years will greatly increase the overall cost of their breast augmentation surgery, and the cost will most likely not be covered by your medical insurance since the procedure itself is considered cosmetic. Of course, if you had breast augmentation for breast reconstruction purposes, your health insurance may cover the additional cost of bi-yearly MRIs.

Would you like to learn more about breast implants? Women today have many options to choose from, including the new cohesive gel implants. Of course, if you choose to have cohesive gel implants, you will need to join the FDAs clinical trial study and agree to follow-ups with your plastic surgeon for many years to come.

The intention of this article is not to provide medical advice. Nor is it the intention of this article to give any health related recommendations whatsoever. If you wish to learn more about breast augmentation surgery or cohesive gel implants, you must call a board certified surgeon and schedule a free consultation. Don't worry about cost because most plastic surgeons offer a free initial consultation! Good luck!