What Would Cause Breast Implant Rupture?

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by Beki in Boone, NC

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Implant Leaking Rupture

Beki, The most common cause of breast implant failure is fatigue and breakage of the implant envelope/shell. This happens most commonly near a fold. Repeated folding-unfolding-folding at any one spot cause a weakness and then a leak. (This has been seen with airplane wings and other man-made structures repeatedly subjected to compression-decompression). Less commonly leaking is realated to a faulty valve in some saline implants. This was more common 20 years ago than it is now. Breast... more

Several things can cause rupture.

Hi, Thank you for your question! Breast implants rupture anytime there is a break in the shell or when a valve is damaged or unsealed. This can be caused by several different factors. The implant could be damaged before it was inserted in your body. Over or under filling could potentially lead to an increased risk of rupture. Capsular contracture, trauma to the breast such as a car accident, pressure during a mammogram, or any other medical procedure performed in the breast area could all... more

If we knew we would correct the problem

Both Mentor and Allergan spend a lot of time and money researching the causes of implant rupture. No one knows for sure but the consensus seems to revolve around fold, either gross or micro, in the implant. These folds create weak areas that can rupture over time. True? Who knows but I suspect there is more to it such as weakness in the silicone elastomer shell that occurs at the time of manufacturing. Only time and research will tell.

Implants leak with normal use, and from problems

Beki: Surgeons and patients share a desire for long-lasting breast implants, but the facts are that they are temporary devices. They move with each movement of your body, and we want them to do that. They undergo pressure, rubbing, etc within your body. This cannot be expected to go on forever without wear and tear on the device.Implants from Allergan and Mentor, whether filled with saline or silicone gel eventually will need replacement in most women. The occasional problems or specific... more

Implant rupture

There are a few reasons why an implant might leak. If there is a valve as is the case with saline implants, the valve can become unplugged and/or tissue can grow into the valve causing the saline to leak. Fold-failure is also a presumed cause, particularly for silicone gel implants where the bag fractures at a point of folding and subsequent micro-friction. Implants might be defective or the bag might be inadvertantly damaged during insertion.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Causes of implant rupture

First of all, implants are man made, so they are not perfect. The most common cause of implant rupture is capsular contracture. This is a progressive process that develops in some patients where the scar tissue pocket around the implant shrinks and squeezes the implant. creating folds in its shell. Over time a plane of weakness develops and the shell cracks. If you have saline implants you'll notice a decrease in your breast size, but with silicone gel implants you might not notice... more