Breast Implant Revision: Q&A

Ask a Question

If the Implant Pockets Were Not Made Deep Enough Originally, is That the Surgeon's Fault?

I've reached my 6 month mark but am facing reoperation because the implants have not dropped enough. Is that my surgeon's fault in that he did not make the pockets deep enough originally or did he and my body healed them up slightly? A capsular contracture has also developed in my left breast. I'd say Grade III, not painful but palpable. Regardless though, pockets need to be made deeper and now I face both re-surgery nerves and anesthesia fees. I don't want to pay for HIS mistake.

Tags:

Comment on this

10 Doctor Answers | Asked by SuzieQuzie18

Doctor Answers (10)
Community Comments (1)

Is That the Surgeon's Fault?

No, I would not say it is the surgeon's fault or responsibility. Each patient's body reacts differently to the implants. They often are high riding early on as the pectoral muscles compress the implants and displace the fluid contents up into the upper pole of the breast. In most patients the implants settle as the muscles relax over several months, but this is not totally predictable. As far as capsular contracture goes, these are also not completely preventable.... more

Need Revisionary Breast Surgery; Is This Surgeon's Faults?

No, it is not necessarily the surgeon's fault that the implants have “not dropped enough”. In other words, there is no way to know whether the breast implant pockets were dissected correctly or not. We DO know that sometimes, despite best efforts and “correct” surgery, breast implants do not behave the way we would hope they would. Assuming you have confidence in your plastic surgeons abilities, based on seeing lots of examples of his/her work, I would... more

If the #Implant Pockets Were Not Made Deep Enough Originally, is that the Surgeon's Fault? ANS:

When surgeons make the pockets for the implants we rarely put them exactly where we want them because we know they will settle over time...And most of the time they hit right where we expected...But sometimes they just don't drop like out experience tells us and in fact, sometimes I'm surprised that putting strange implants in a body works as well as it does most of the time! So adjustments shouldn't be seen as a mistake...Unless it is repeated often

You might try this first...

I had a patient dependent on Accolate for softness in one of her breasts. She tried Flaxseed capsules and got off the Accolate completely. I use in on anyone with threatening firmness and it seems to help most of the time. Worth a shot before spending a lot of money on aneshtesia. No picture makes it hard to assess the failure to drop.

Implant revision, capsules, malposition

Implant revision, capsules, malposition sorry for your problems capsules can occur in up to 20 percent of patients. it is impossible to say if its the doctors fault. this can often be treated under local or sedation to limit costs. sorryJH

Implants and capsular contracture

Settling can occur differently betweent he two sides, if you also have a capsular conctracture, that is something that is uncontrollable.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Capsular Contracture and Revision Surgery - Preventing Recurrence

Sorry to hear about your postoperative results. If you truly have capsular contracture, there are several things that may be helpful in preventing a recurrence: 1. If you currently have a smooth implant, changing out the old implant to a textured implant may decrease the incidence of capsular contracture recurrence. 2. Taking Singulair for at least 3 months daily may reverse early capsular contracture, and may also prevent it from recurring. 3. Placing the implant in a... more

Capsular contracture is not the surgeon's mistake

Implants that mature will generally settle into the muscle pocket. Both right and left muscles are not always equal in strength so you can have uneven settling with this muscle issue. Capsular contracture can heal the implants with different degrees of tightness and this can keep the implants too high. Implants that are very large can look too high if your chest is short. There are some mistakes surgeons can make and there are some healing issues that can cause implants... more

Marcus L. Peterson, MD

4 reviews

Saint George Plastic Surgeon

Not a surgical mistake but a common complication

Unfortunately Suzie you have the most common complication of breast augmentation which is a capsular contracture. We as plastic surgeons have no way of controlling this problem. It is quite fair of your surgeon to only charge you anesthesia fees as most of us charge OR and anesthesia fees but not a surgical fee in the early post op period. Good luck with your surgery and I am sure you will do fine and find it much easier than your first surgery. Dr. Schuster in Boca Raton more

Implants didn't settle

Your implants didn't settle and you have a contracture. These are well-known risks of implant surgery. . Not settling is more common with saline implants under the muscle because the saline implants are light and muscle pushes them upward. Everyone's body heals differently, surgical results can't be guaranteed. But I am sorry you are going through this. You should also be aware that capsular contractures can return - even after surgical release. With... more

Doctors will not see your comments on their answers. If you'd like to follow up, please go here to ask another question.

Comments (1)

SuzieQuzie18 8 Oct 2012

The contracture only occurred in my left breast, my right one seems to be healing just fine. However, even prior to my last follow-up, when my surgeon actually realized a contracture had occurred due to the firmness, he wanted to bring me back in to the operating room to deepen the implant pockets (which are subpectoral btw).

Ask a Question