Breast Implants: Q&A

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Bad Breast Implant Results. What Are my Rights?

I had a lift and implants done two and a half years ago. I recently noticed that one breast seemed higher and firmer with slight discomfort now and then. After consulting with my doctor, he said I have Capsular Contracture. I have been reading up on it, specifically to see if this is something that could have been prevented. He said that most patients, although small in percentage, have the tissue taken out and/or a new implant. I know I paid top dollar for a very reputable surgeon. Am I wrong in thinking this should not have happened? Also, should this additional procedure be covered financially by the doctor? What are my "rights" in a situation like this?

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18 Doctor Answers | Asked by anon

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Capsular contracture after breast augmentation

Capsular contracture, or scar formation after breast augmentation, is a common problem after surgery and a recognized complication. It is certainly not malpractice. Capsular contracture occurs with every single busy surgeon. Capsular contracture is more common in implants placed above the muscle than implants placed below the muscle. Modern techniques can minimize the formation of capsular contracture, but not prevent it altogether. You should communicate with your surgeon about the... more

Capsule Contracture Can Occur

Sorry to hear you've developed a capsule contracture. Capsule Contracture is a known albeit undesirable outcome with breast implant surgery. It is impossible to guarantee a result with surgery. That a complication occurs does not necessarily mean that someone did something wrong. Unfortunately, complications can occur, even in the hands of the best surgeons, staff and facilities. Your best alternative is to consult with your surgeon about the options available to you... more

Unfortunately, cosmetic surgery does not come with a guarantee.

To Stacy Tanner, Hi Ms Tanner. You are faced with a recognized complication. Every good plastic surgeon gets a low but real number of capsular contractures. So there is no reason to blame your surgeon. Setting aside the issue of fault, surgeons want their patients to be happy. After all, most of our new patients come from happy patient referrals. My own policy is not to charge for any revisions that are necessary within one year of the original surgery, but to charge after that. I am... more

Caveat emptor

Unless there was a deficiency in the informed consent or your doctor has insurance to cover complications of cosmetic surgery as mentioned by others, there is not much recourse. In certain situations, insurance companies may cover problems associated with breast implants such as capsular contracture. You should realize, however, that what you describe is not necessarily considered a complication since displacement and hardening are known and accepted risks of breast implants. If you still... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

This can happen to anyone!

Unfortunately, capsular contracture is a very well known complication of breast implant surgery that can happen to anyone at any time. To make matters even more confusing, we really don't completely understand why it happens or who it will happen to. Some people are at higher risk in general, and it may occur early after implanmt surgery or late (even many years later!) There are certain surgical maneuvers which can be performed to help decrease the chances of it occurring, such as trying... more

Capsular contracture

Unfortunately capsular contracture is a form of scarring that happens to be internal and there are no current methods for its prevention, just like scars on the skin cannot be prevented. Placing the implants below the muscle helps but does not prevent it. This can be financially difficult. Sounds like you have a good surgeon who is working with you. Discuss your concerns and many surgeons will limit their fee for their own patients but typically you would pay for the anesthesia and facility... more

Talk to your surgeon about capsular contracture

Hi there- I'm sorry you're having problems. Unfortunately, capsular contracture is a well-recognized risk of breast implant surgery, and while it is thankfully fairly rare, it does happen to many women if their implants are in place for a long enough period. Early capsular contracture, as you have experienced, is even more uncommon but is known to occur in a small number of patients. We really do not have a clear understanding of exactly what causes this problem (although we know about a... more

Capsular Contracture can occur in anyone

Stacy, I am sorry to hear that you have developed a Capsular Contacture. It occurs in approximately 2-3% of women with submuscular/under the muscle implants and up to 10-12% of women with implants on top of the muscle. There is no predicting who will get a contracture and no reliable method of prevention. This is most likely not a fault of the Plastic Surgeon. That does not mean that they don't want to help you. Unless your doctor provides cosmetic surgery insurance, you really have very... more

Capsular Contracture - Who Is Responsible ?

Capsular Contractures occur unfortunately in 5-10% of patients and in the vast majority of cases is unrelated to the surgeon, but rather your body's response to the implants. In other words your surgeon probably did nothing wrong. In all surgical specialties and procedures you are paying for the surgeon's best surgical efforts and care. There are never any direct or implies guarantees of success and this is especially true of Plastic Surgery which is both an Art form and Inexact... more

Development of capsular contracture

Although you may feel upset about the capsular contracture, there are many ways to correct the problem and minimize your risk of developing complications associated with it. I would advise you to speak with your surgeon about those options. He will provide insight into the development of the capsular contracture and its causes.

Capsular contracture occurs

Capsular contracture, although not frequent and not medically unsafe, is the most common problem after breast augmentation. A capsular contracture is not a complication of surgery, but a natural reaction of your body to the implant. The cause is not known for sure and there are no absolute measures for prevention. Treatment may require surgery, as you have been told. Your "rights" should have been spelled-out prior to surgery, but most surgeons... more

Capsular contracture is a known risk of breast implant surgery

I think it says a lot about you that you have been reading up on capsular contracture specifically to see if your surgeon did something wrong. Wow. Capsular contracture is a known risk after any implant surgery. It has to do with how your body heals--we don't know exactly why it happens, so we don't know exactly how to prevent it. You should absolutely expect to pay for the cost of the revision surgery, as your surgeon likely did nothing wrong... more

Carmen Kavali, MD

11 reviews

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant complications

Complications after surgery happen to every surgeon, but not every patient. This is why informed consent regarding surgery is so important. The goals of informed consent are to educate the patient as to the more common risks of surgery, what to expect from surgery, and what we would do if those complications occur. Although the risks of a complication are given in percentages, when it happens to you, it's 100%. Having had the discussion ahead of time makes dealing with the problem much... more

David Bogue, MD

6 reviews

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

www.drbogue.com

Capsular contracture does not mean your surgeon did anything wrong.

Capsular contracture is a risk with all breast augmentation procedures regardless of the surgeon. The reported incidence is anywhere from <1% to as high as 17%. In my experience, it is much closer to the former, but not nearly that low. Nevertheless, because we do not know the specific trigger, it is impossible to "do something" to prevent contracture. There are various treatment options and your surgeon should discuss these with you and minimize the... more

Revision of breast implant surgery

Breast augmentation is the most common cosmetic surgery in the United States because it provides a consistent way for a woman to change the shape, position and size of her breasts. The formation of a capsular contracture is one of the known risks of breast implant surgery. The best way to correct this finding is to receive a surgery that requires removal of some or all of the thick scar around your breast implant. We do not know exactly why capsular contractures performed in some... more

Capsular contracture

Capsular contracture happens in a small percentage of patients. This is something that happens to the best of surgeons. You cannot possibly control for this problem.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Capsular contracture can happen even in the best of hands

Hello, Capsular contracture can happen even in the best of hands. Just having this problem does not mean anything was by necessity done incorrectly. As this was likely not your surgeon's fault, he is not expected to pay to fix it. Maybe try discussing with your surgeon your situation and try to find a compromise. Most of us want happy patients and will try to compromise with nice patients in these kinds of situations to make one.

You have a good doctor

You are describing a capsular contracture. There is a known risk of this happening to any patient with a breast implant. It is your own body reacting for unknown reasons to the implant with an exaggerated scar reaction around the implant. This is not the fault of the doctor and the treatment that was proposed to you is exactly right. As to costs, since this is your body creating the problem, the doctor is not obligated to do the revision for free. Each office will handle it differently... more