Hello,
Although breast implants have no defined term for replacement, I am much more comfortable following patients with saline implants over the long term than those with silicone implants. The reasons is that silicone implants are more commonly associated with thick calcified capsules and can leak without obvious signs. Sometimes breasts will harden with this but this is not always felt by women with larger breasts and more tissue. This is one of the reasons the current FDA recommendations specify that patients with silicone gel implants have MRI studies of their breasts every few years.
I routinely follow my saline-filled implant patients until they rupture (If they wish and have no other problems) as the effects of a saline leak are less problematic than those of a silicone gel leak.
