En bloc Capsulectomy
Nearly all breast implants used in the United States are sold with a 10-year warranty. While some breast implants can last for decades, some others may need to be replaced in a much shorter period of time. In any case, breast implants will usually not last forever.
According to figures collected by the manufacturers of implants, nearly half of breast implants will need to be changed within a period of seven years. Some of the common reasons for breast implant problems are rupture, capsular contracture, and infection.
Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthias Solomon provides breast implant removal to patients in Dallas, Frisco, Sherman, Texas, and surrounding communities.
Capsular Contracture
Capsular contracture refers to the scar tissue development that occurs around the breast implant. All implants – textured, round shaped, smooth, above or below muscle, will form a capsule. As breast implants are a foreign entity, the human body tries to create a barrier around the implant by developing a capsule around it that acts as a protection.
The capsule can sometimes be flimsy and soft, like an unnoticeable film. But sometimes it can become painful and firm – like a hard shell that feels as if it will contract and shrink over time. When an implant develops a painful, hard capsular contracture, it poses no risk to the patient’s health by itself. The discomfort, however, may cause the patient to seek its total removal along with the capsule.
En Bloc Capsulectomy
An en bloc capsulectomy can be undertaken to take out the breast implant and the capsule as a single piece. A complete en bloc capsulectomy is a meticulous surgery that takes out every fragment of the capsule, including the unit that may be very close to the wall of the chest and the ribs.
A partial capsulectomy, on the other hand, leaves parts of the capsule in the breast pocket. The surgical dissection from an en bloc capsulectomy can create irritation in the leftover breast tissue, which will lead to the production of fluid from the body. Therefore, after an en bloc capsulectomy, it is essential to place drains to provide the fluid from the breast pocket a passage to get released from the body.
In case a new implant is being positioned, it will usually be placed in a new space when en bloc capsulectomy is used. If the earlier implant was positioned below the pectoral muscle, the new implant will be placed above it. On the other hand, if the original implant was positioned pre-pectorally, the new implant will be placed sub-pectorally.
In exceptional situations, the surgeon may find that the pectoralis muscle has been damaged or divided. In these conditions, it is essential to repair the muscle before the new implant can be placed.
Capsulectomy without Implant Replacement
For patients who choose explant surgery and en bloc capsulectomy procedure, but do not want a replacement with a new implant, the surgeon may leave the drains for removal of fluid for a relatively longer period of time. If the patient has excess breast tissue causing the deflation of breasts, she may require a breast lift or mastopexy to tighten the loose breast tissue and construct a more youthful breast mound.
How Should the Patient Prepare for Surgery?
The patient should stop smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol at least a few days prior to her en bloc procedure. These substances increase the chances of swelling and bruising post-surgery.
All herbal supplements and blood thinner medications should also be stopped two weeks prior to the surgery. On the day of your surgical procedure, you should have someone who can safely drive you back home after the surgery. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Matthias Solomon receives patients from Dallas, Frisco, Sherman, Texas, and nearby areas for breast implant removal.
For More Information Contact Us
For more information on Plastic Surgery and Non-Surgical Medical Spa Procedures and Treatments in Offices in Dallas, Frisco, Sherman, Texas and surrounding areas please contact the offices of Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Matthias Solomon by clicking here or calling 214-983-0213.
Serving patients in Highland park, University Park, Preston Hollow, McKinney, Prosper, Allen, Southlake, Denton, Irving, Flower mound, Little Elm, Fort Worth, Texas and surrounding areas.
