Breast Implant Complication Replacement Surgery Including Rupture & Capsular Contracture, 2008-01-21
Although new, safer silicone breast implants gained Food and Drug Administration approval in 2006, no long-term studies on the durability of theses devices or their saline counterparts exists, a fact that causes many women not to understand that subsequent maintenance operations may be required.
Speaking in a New York Times article on the subject, the director of the 2007 anti-implant documentary "Absolutely Safe," Carol Ciancutti-Leyva said, "Your implants may last less than 10 years or more than 10 years, but when you start having problems with them, your health insurance is unlikely to cover the MRI tests of the re-operations."Both saline and silicone breast implants are subject to the formation of minute tearing in the rubber-like shells that contains the solution. The tears, in turn, lead to ruptures requiring that the implant be replaced.
Two implant manufacturers actually offer replacement guarantees on their products. Mentor has a 10-year replacement guarantee to offset surgical expenses, while Allergan implants include lifetime replacement and $1,200 in surgery costs for the first ten years.In addition to problems caused by ruptures, implants are also subject to the formation of scar tissue, a condition called capsular contraction, that may lead to pain and deformity of the breast. Women should be made aware of all of these potential long-term issues prior to their initial surgeries.
While many women use necessary follow-up procedures as an opportunity to change the positioning, size, or even type of implant, others who have been told their implants will last a lifetime are in for a rude awakening and an expensive one.
