When Are "Pig Skin" Linings Necessary After Encapsulation Surgery ?

I have silicone implants which are 32 years old. I need surgery for encapulation in both breasts. One doctor has recommended insertion of "pig lining" material but another has said this is only necessary in the event of a tear. Please explain this "extra" procedure and when necessary.

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8 Doctor Answers | Asked by Bonita K in Hayward, CA

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Alloderm or pig skin?

Alloderm ( which is from humans) and variations of treated pig skin are used for lining in situations where better coverage is needed for the implant such as in cases of rippling. It is also used sometimes to reinforce the fold and also in breast recosntruction.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pig, cow or human skin for capsular contracture from breast implants

The use of the pig skin lining is actually more related to recent reports of cadaveric skin (called acellular dermal matrix, commonly known as Alloderm) that has been shown to lower the risk of recurrent capsular contracture. The mechanism for this is unkown. I think that you could get by with a simple implant removal and capsulectomy. Alternatively, I have had much success with a neopectpral pocket.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Implant coverage and support with "pig skin"

I often use Surgimend ("cow skin") when I do implant revisions for significant capsular contractures in women with thin skin and only a small amount of breast tissue. Strattice ("pig skin") and Alloderm ("human skin") are also used for the same purpose. They are helpful tools during tough revisions, such as yours.

Carmen Kavali, MD

11 reviews

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Treatment of Capsular Contracture

Breast implants that are long-standing and encapsulated typically require complete capsulectomy and implant removal and replacement. If your overlying tissues are already quite thin, and you take out the scar layer around the implant, you are thinning your tissues even more. In the setting of thinness, the implant can be more visible, prone to rippling, and skin sagging can sometimes be an issue. Treatment options for me usually start with pocket site change to submuscular if it... more

Old implants, encapsulation and pig skin

You implants are really old and surely ruptured. That generation of implants had very thin and weak shells and rupture is common. The rupture likely caused inflammation, the inflammation lead to excess scarring which we call capsular contracture. I would recommend having your old implants out along with the capsule and have new implants placed. I wouldn't recommend pig skin unless your tissues are super, super thin. In that case, I would remove your... more

Sometimes Implant Needs Additional Support

Soemtimes, when the implants have been in for many years and they have become completely encapsulated, it is necessary to remove all of the old scar tissue and implant material. What can happen sometimes is that the new implant does not have enough tissue to support it because they have been weakened by removing the old capsule. In those cases, it is nice to support theimplant with some sort of biological material that your body will incorporate into its own over the course... more

The use of "Pig Skin" in Correcting Breast Implant Scarring (Capsular Contracture)

The body creates a thin layer of scar tissue around every foreign object be it a pacemaker, bullet, artificial blood vessel or breast implant. In a small number of cases thethin scar becomes a thick scar CONTRACTURE which squeezes the implant and may be painful. There are several ways of dealing with such CAPSULAR CONTRACTURE (oral asthma medications, taking Vit. E, putting cuts in the scar to weaken it (CAPSULOTOMY), changing the implants to a different location with removal of part or... more

Strattice for revisional breast surgery

The 'pig skin' product that you are referring to is Strattice, which is a porcine derived acellular dermal matrix product. It can be used for a variety of revisionary breast surgery applications. It is not necessary, and I don't even think there is solid clinical data to support the necessity of using Strattice after capsulectomy to prevent recurrent capsular contracture. Where Strattice is enormously helpful is for patients with implant malposition and soft tissue... more