Is There A High Chance Of Implants Bursting or Causing Other Problems?

asked 8 months ago by Ceelove in Aiea, HI
Latest answer by George John Alexander, MD
Question viewed 262 times
Tags: complication, risk, rupture

My question is what is the percentage of breast augmentation going bad? I really want to get it done, but latly as i've been researching i read a lot of bad stories saying that they're breast implant burst in two weeks, now is that possible to happend? My mom had hers done a few years ago and shes doing well no problems at all, will mine turn out like how she went through?

10 answers to Is There A High Chance Of Implants Bursting or Causing Other Problems?

Bursting implants

Breast implant surgery is one of the most common procedures performed. In fact, there were approximately 318,123 performed in 2010 by board-certified plastic surgeons. During my many years in practice, I have seen implants in patients that have lasted for 20-30 years. Implants are not a lifetime device, and there is no way currently to predict if, how and when a rupture will occur.

George John Alexander, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Risk of Leaking Implants

Breast Implants have probably been studied more extensively than any other implant in medicine. Of all the issues I see with women who have had implants, leakage or deflation, is among the most uncommon. The risk over ten years in any given women is probably less than 6-8 %. Inadvertent damage to implant during surgery and the presence of manufacturing flaws are responsible for these deflations. The odds are great that you will not have a problem with this but nevertheless there is a... more

Jon F. Harrell, DO
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Breast implant "failure"

Although breast implants can "fail" or cause problems, this is quite unusual. Saline implants can deflate and the body can absorb the fluid without problems other than the implant is flat and should be replaced. Old gel implants could break the outer shell and turn inside out with the gel on the outside and the shell on the inside. The newer gel implants don't do that. Because "horror stories" make better reading, they can seem to be more common than they are. By far... more

Margaret Skiles, MD
Sacramento Plastic Surgeon

www.featherriverplasticsurgery.com

Is There A High Chance Of Implants Bursting or Causing Other Problems?

There is no lifetime breast implant. A saline implant will develop a hole or tear in the 'bag' at approximately 10 to 15 years after surgery. The saline will drain out of the implant over a couple of weeks. This is a completely safe event and will be obvious to the patient, who will then have the implant(s) replaced. A silicone gel device will fail approximately 15 to 20 years after surgery. The gel will leak out of the implant, but will be contained by the scar tissue... more

Eric Pugash, MD
Vancouver Plastic Surgeon

www.vancouvercosmeticsurgery.ca

Breast implant rupture rates are very low

The chance of a breast implant failing or rupturing is quite low. For saline implants it's about 10% over ten years. For silicone implants it's about 3-4% over ten years. There is a warranty on the breast implants that is honored by the implant manufacturer in the event of a rupture. Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for more information. Best wishes, Dr.Bruno

William Bruno, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Implant ruptures

I rarely see many implant ruptures in my office and I do a LOT of breast surgery. While no one can tell you how long an implant might last, I have seen two ladies in my office who had saline implants for 28 years before one broke (and saline implants weren't used much 28 years ago). I have also seen a few patients recently who had their silicone gel implants done by my father in the early 1970's. When I took them out, only one was broken! The nice thing about... more

Edwin C. Pound, III, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Risks of breast implants are rare, but can occur.

(VIDEO INCLUDED) Breast implants are relatively safe. Complications such as implant rupture, malposition, leaking, and capsular contracture (or scarring around the implant) are possible but rare. The actual statistics are available and your board certified plastic surgeon can give you the actual percentages. The key is that these complications can be minimized when the breast augmentation is performed by an experienced surgeon. I also use a special implant delivery device called... more

Matthew Schulman, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Low risk of implant breast failure in my experience

First, breast implants don't "burst" or "rupture" so I think we need a better terminology to talk about what does sometimes happen. The implant shell can open up from wear over time, so with a saline implant this is called a deflation because the saline is harmlessly absorbed into the body and the implant goes flat. Silicone gel in implants is cohesive, meaning that it is semisolid so the shell can be sliced wide open and the gel doesn't spill out; it is a silent... more

Richard Baxter, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation Complications

You are smart to be considering the risks associated with breast augmentation surgery. These risks include leakage, encapsulation, loss of sensation, interference with mammography, movement of the implants and the probable need for further surgery in your lifetime. You may find the link below to be helpful. Best Wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Breast Augmentation Complication Rates Are Low

Across the board, breast augmentation rates should be extremely low. Each surgeon is different, and some are more skilled than others which can play into complication rates. Those who do a lot of breast aesthetic and reconstruction rates should have an overall complication rate for breast augmentations in the 2-3 % range. The vast majority of women do extremely well and have no problems with the surgery or post-op long term. The internet often acts as a vehicle... more