Leaking Breast Implants

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This is perhaps the most contentious issue about breast implant surgery. There was a real concern about the number of leakages from silicone implants in the past and some women believed it led to the deterioration of their physical health.

Improved Safety Measures for Breast Implants

New regulations and stringent measures by surgeons and the manufacturers of implants ensure that breast implants are less susceptible to rupturing, which will cause the implants to leak, but nothing can be guaranteed and rupturing can still occur. The main topic of debate, especially when it comes to silicone, is whether the silicone gel inside the implant shell is harmful if it does leak and is absorbed by breast tissue and the rest of the body.

Some victims of botched surgery claim that leaking implants have caused severe joint pains and fatigue, but there is no scientific evidence of this.

Some medical experts recommend saline implants ahead of their silicone counterparts, because the salt water solution found in the former are harmless if it comes into contact with the rest of the body. This helps to eliminate any doubt of risk through leakage. The downside is that saline implants are far more painful for the patient to have them removed. 

Causes of Implant Rupture

The causes of leaking implants could be down to a number of things. An oversight during surgery, a fault in the manufacturing of the implant and general wear and tear over a long period, are all thought to be contributing factors.

Even though many surgeons believe silicone gel won’t react dangerously with the body if it leaks, they will still recommend that it is removed if it has become ruptured. The problem with silicone leakages however, is that they are more difficult to detect and symptoms, such as the breast losing its shape and severe pain, may not arise for a year after the rupture.

This is how saline implants differ. If they leak, the implant will deflate, decrease in size and become much more noticeable. But, it will result in more pain during removal surgery.

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