Natrelle Cohesive Silicone Gel Implants: if Ruptured Do They Cause Any Harm to the Surrounding Tissue?

I had a consult with a plastic surgeon (certified) recently. I went in pretty set on saline because of the lower price and for the piece of mind if the implant ruptured. However the surgeon told me, if I understood correctly, that cohesive gel implants do not leak into the surrounding tissue because the gel stays together. Is this the case? If cohesive silicone gel implant to rupture/break would the silicone cause any damage to the surrounding tissue? Thanks for your help.

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by Meg in Utah in Provo, Utah

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Select breast implant that you feel comfortable with

Hi Meg, In general I agree with the statements made by your plastic surgeon. The silicone gel in the current implants is very thick and sticky; thus it really cannot "seep" into the tissues. Also, as already pointed out, the capsule which forms around the implant usually "contains" the leak, preventing the silicone from getting into the tissue. However, if the implant has a leak, and the capsule tears, for example after an accident, it is... more

Nothing man made lasts forever

No implant lasts forever. I tell my patients to think that the life of the implant should be about 10 years. They will last less time if the patient gets a capsular contracture, and the implants feel hard. This causes a fold in the implant and then they wear out at the fold. The best way to get them to last is to keep them soft, and not get a contracture. There have been 5 different generations essentially of gel in implants. 1. Silicone in the... more

Dan Mills, MD

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Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.danmillsmd.com

Natrelle Cohesive Silicone Implants:if Ruptured Do They Cause Any Harm to Surrounding Tissue?Answer:

Yes the gel is very cohesive and does stick to itself much better than the old "syrup" type of silicone and in most cases it stays hidden in the pocket if the implant does rupture, but in some instances the ruptured silicone can cause hardening or irritation of the capsule. But remember, in order for can gel to leak into the tissues, the capsule must be torn as well and not just the implant.

Silicone breast implants MAY cause irritation and calcifications

When the shell of a cohesive gel implant tears, free silicone is not released into the surrounding tissues. The vast majority of the time, the silicone sits within the torn shell, causing no problems. It is possible for the tear and subsequent exposure of the gel to the surrounding capsule to create an inflammatory response that may cause calcifications, and/or a contracture. Pain, change in shape of the breast, and firmness may result. Again, the occurrence of these... more

Gel breast implants can leak

All gel implants leak over time, no matter how cohesive the gel. Your surgeon is right in that the gel will tend to 'stay together', however when there is a tear in the silicone rubber shell (a leak) the sticky gel inside will contact the tissue surrounding the implant and produce irritation, perhaps tenderness, calcifications, and eventually capsular contracture. This is what all the FDA warning and MRI stuff is all about. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Cohesive Silicone Gel Implant Leaks

Hi Meg The newer generations of cohesive silicone gel implants (last decade or so) are made from a tough silicone outer shell and a silicone gel inner. The inner gel is made so that it is the consistency of Turkish Delight or a Gummy Bear. You can cut an implant in half and hold it upside down and the gel will not leak out of the shell. If a new cohesive gel implant ruptures, the outer shell can still peel away from the inner gel with time (due to body movements), at least in... more