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What's the Best Method to Treat Capsular Contracture?

asked 2 years ago by Oct2009 in New Jersey
Latest answer by Michael Law, MD
Question viewed 3,048 times
Tags: saline implants, under muscle, capsular contracture

I had breast aug 10/15/09. Saline, under the muscle. I have capsular contracture in my right breast & have tried massaging & singlair per my surgeon. I am going to have to go back into the operating room to correct.

What is the better method--having the tissue cut and corrected or replacing the implants? I am not happy with the size of my implants (too small) and would like to upgrade. However I do not want to increase my chances of this happening again.

13 answers to What's the Best Method to Treat Capsular Contracture?

Capsular Contracture

You may have heard of someone's breast implants 'turning hard'. It is not the implants themselves that turn hard, of course; what has really happened is that the fibrous capsule around the implants has tightened and thickened, making the implants less mobile and causing them to feel firm (and eventually, in some cases, even 'hard'). The medical term for this phenomenon is 'capsular contracture'. It is a problem that is best managed by avoiding it altogether, and... more

Michael Law, MD
Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

Capsular contracture treatment options

When any foreign object is placed in the body, the immune system responds by forming a lining around the object. While the causes for capsular contracture in breast implants are still unclear, the condition is fairly easy to treat surgically. Some surgeons will surgically reopen the breast and cut the scar tissue to release its hold on the breast implant. Most surgeons will surgically reopen the breast, completely remove the scar tissue that is causing the capsular contracture, and insert a... more

David Whiteman, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Capsular contracture

It is unclear why capsular contractures develop in one patient and not another. It may be multifactorial. I usually remove the capsule and replace the implants.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Preveneting recurrent capsular contracture with revision breast augmentation

There is no definitive answer to this question other than the best way to prevent capsular contracture is to remove the implants and leave them out. That having been said. I would advise capsulectomy with implant removal and replacement.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Treatment of capsular contracture

You have brought up an important topic. Unfortunately, since we don't know the exact cause of capsular contracture, we cannot prevent this problem. The only two methods which have any chance of correcting your situation is capsulotomy (where cuts are made in the capsule to "open up" the tightness) and capsulectomy (where the entire capsule is removed). I reserve capsulectomy for patients who have had recurrent contracture, as it is a much more involved procedure and the chance of... more

Michael A. Jazayeri, MD
Santa Ana Plastic Surgeon

Treatment of capsular contractures

Unfortunately, capsular contracture continue to plague plastic surgeons and our patients despite using the best techniques known to prevent them Non-surgiacl methods of treating capsular contractures include multiple sessions of external ultrasound and oral medications suche as Accolate, Singulair, PavaBid, and Vitamin E. I have had only rare success in treating capsular contractures non-surgically. Most patients will require surgery to remove the entire capsule or create a neopectoral... more

Bruce Genter, MD
Abington Plastic Surgeon

Remove the capsule and use new implants

The most successful treatment in my experience is removal of the internal scar, either partial or complete, and replacement with different implants. I would also consider silicone as you have encapsulated with saline already. I would also use the under the muscle position as I feel the risk of reforming a contracure is lower. You must understand however that you may reencapsulate - some patients are very prone to this problem. Modern medicine has not completely solved this issue and... more

David Shuter, MD
Jupiter Plastic Surgeon

Best method to treat capsular contracture

The best treatment for capsular fibrosis is to first find a cause. Like a postop bleed, infection or a scar former by genetic history or no excercise after surgery, combo of these. Than the BEST treatment is re operation and removal or incising the scar capsule. From MIAMI Dr. B

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Removal of the capsule will help

The best thing would be implant exchange and also release and removal of the old capsule. The other technique that may help is use of drains.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD
New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Treatment of Capsular Contracture

The fact is that EVERY single foreign body or implant in our body becomes walled off by scar tissue. The body simply will not tolerate it otherwise. The scar tissue (also called CAPSULE) can be soft, impalpable and pose not symptoms (BAKER I class capsule) OR It can be hard, visible, palpable and associated with discomfort (BAKER IV capsule=CONTRACTURE). Contractures have been associated with bacteria (placed at the time of surgery or by infections elsewhere in the body months to years... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Treatment of capsular contracture

Simply removing and replacing the implants will not solve the problem of capsular contracture. I treat breast capsular contracture using a combination surgical and non-surgical approach including capsulectomy, implant replacement, topical protocols, and oral medications.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Treating a capsular contracture

The scar tissues should be surgically removed, and a new implant inserted. There isn't a specific risk of cc with larger implants but the more a saline is overfilled, the tighter it feels and the more like a cc it resembles.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Treat capsular contracture with new breast implants and capsulectomies.

Hi. 1) Removing the lining (the capsule) around the breast implants is very important, because it is this capsule that caused the contracture. 2) We think it is also important to use new implants, because the old ones may have a microfilm with bacteria, and this can also cause contracture. 3) Using larger implants will not increase the risk of another contracture.