Patients often ask, “Well, what happens if my breast implants break?” The answer depends on which type of implant you have. With a saline filled implant, you will notice a significant decrease in size. Your body reabsorbs the saline that is coming out of the implant and it deflates. You will see a difference immediately and no further testing is needed to make the diagnosis. With silicone gel-filled implants the signs are different. You may have no symptoms at all, or may feel a shape change or more firmness to the breast. There will be no deflation as your body does not reabsorb the silicone gel. However, this is not harmful to your body and the newer gel-filled implants are more cohesive and, therefore, less likely to travel beyond the implant pocket.
With both types of implants you will need to be examined by a Chicago board certified plastic surgeon to determine whether or not your implant has broken. With saline implants the diagnosis will be made with a physical exam alone. With a silicone gel-filled implant you will also need an MRI to confirm the leak. Once the diagnosis has been made, you can discuss the different options available with your surgeon regarding replacement surgery. Often times the implant replacement procedure is simple and less involved than the original augmentation surgery. The implant pocket is already there and, therefore, you will have much less pain and recovery time. Sometimes the pocket or capsule surrounding the implant may require revision or you may desire to change your implant type from saline-filled to silicone gel-filled. These are all questions that you can discuss during your consultation with a Chicago Plastic Surgeon.