are breast implants safe?
The safety issues surrounding breast implants are more relevant than ever.
However, breast implants have made a very large positive evolution in the last 10-20 years.
The risk of leakage problems is minimized with implants filled with cohesive silicone gel because the gel is not liquid and forms a monobloc.
If a puncture or rupture (rupture) ever happens, e.g. due to an accident, the gel will remain in the implant and will not run out or leak into the body.
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Nelissen works with brands of implants, which are currently at the top in terms of research and guarantees towards absolute safety. These implants are of the highest quality and are among the most thoroughly tested on the market.
All implants used are approved by the American FDA, the Belgian Ministry of Health and by the control authorities of the country of origin. FDA-approved breast implants undergo initial, mandatory testing to demonstrate reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. The FDA continues to monitor patients' experiences with breast implants, review new safety data, and communicate with patients and physicians as new risks arise.
The placed implants offer a very low percentage (less than 0.5%) of capsular formation because they have a unique sheath.
These implants are covered by a warranty against rupture during the lifetime of the implant and by a product replacement policy in the case of capsular contracture (Baker grades III and IV) for a period of 10 years.
In addition, Dr. Nelissen applies the technique of "flash recovery" in which the breast augmentation surgery is performed with a minimum of damage to the surrounding tissue and muscles. By avoiding short-term trauma, a faster and painless recovery will occur. In the longer term, this way of operating also leads to fewer problems such as capsule formation,...
If necessary, we also use the "sleeve method" and the "no-touch method". The no-touch technique was introduced to avoid implant contact and thereby reduce skin/breast contamination. This is done with the sleeve method, i.e. the insertion of the prosthesis using a sterile container (sleeve).
Over the past decade, some types of breast implants have been linked to the development of a very rare form of lymphoma, called BIA-ALCL (Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphona).
It's important to emphasize that this is very rare, with about 600 cases reported worldwide in 2019 of an estimated 40 million women with breast implants.
According to the U.S. FDA, it is a rare cancer that has only been confirmed in patients with breast implants with a rough surface. The American FDA has set up a tracking system of all FDA approved implants, including the Motiva prostheses. No BIA-ALCL has yet been detected in Motiva implants.
That is why Dr. Nelissen only uses nano-textured or micro-textured breast implants with a low surface roughness, because these have been shown to be the safest implants available on the market worldwide.
Common symptoms include unexplained breast enlargement, pain, asymmetry, lump in the breast or armpit, overlying rash, hardening of the chest or a large accumulation of fluid. For any patient experiencing these or other symptoms, they should consult their doctor for evaluation.
Certain implants have a unique identification number, which can be read (only) with a special scanner. This makes it easy for your doctor to determine what kind of implant you have, with diameter and volume, after surgery without having to remove the implant.
Traceability is only possible if the special reader is held externally against the body.
All patients receive an implant card, after the 2nd postoperative check-up, mentioning all data such as the serial number, name of the manufacturer and other data of the implant.
It is recommended to have your breast implants screened regularly with MRI or ultrasound. Even if you're not worried about the condition of your implants, it's important to go for your routine screenings. Routine screenings can check if your implant is intact and identify complications such as implant rupture or silicone leakage. Although implant rupture can cause different symptoms, some women with ruptured implants experience no symptoms, which is why routine screenings are critical.
Is breast examination still possible after a breast augmentation with implants?
Yes and even easier because the gland is on top of the implant so that any lumps can be detected more quickly. Mammography/MRI/NMR are still possible. You should report to the radiologist that you have implants.
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