Why aren't breast implants rejected by the body as something foreign?

Question

I hope you can understand what I'm asking....why aren't breast implants rejected by the body as something foreign? When a person has surgery, for example, and gauze or a sponge gets left inside the patient, they get very sick. Why is that not the case with implants? I hope that makes sense, thank you!

Mark E. Mason, MD · Answer

Your body will surround the implant with scar tissue. This is called a capsule. This essentially walls off the implant from the rest of your body. Sometimes the capsule can thicken and contract ("capsular contracture"). This is rare, but is a possible risk with breast implants. That said, breast implants are the most studied medical device on the market. I hope this helps!

Christian Subbio, MD · Answer

Basically because silicone is very nonreactive and sterile.  A sponge has 1 million small holes and fibers for bacteria to cling to, protected, and proliferate your body forms a scar shell around the implant is well sealing it off. Best of luck!
Dr. SubbioBoard-Certified Plastic SurgeonNewtown Square/Philadelphia, PA

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello,
When people get gauze or instruments left in their body, they only cause a problem when they interfere with normal function of the organs that they are located near, usually due to scaring. Occasionally, they harbor bacteria, which causes infection. They do not however, induce an immune based rejection. Similarly, breast implants do not cause problems either, unless they have excessive scaring or bacterial contamination that leads to infection. They too do not induce an immune based rejection.  The reason implants, instruments, and gauze are not rejected is because they are non-living material. Immune based rejection requires living cells that have identification proteins on their surface that the immune system would recognize as foreign or like. Inanimate objects made of non-living material lack those proteins. Similarly, breast implants have do not induce auto-immune diseases. Don't worry, breast implants are safe. Best of luck!

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

That is a very good question! Your body does not reject the implant because it forms as a capsule around it. Your body does not react to it as it would with other foreign substances like a retained gauze. However, in some cases, it may harden and cause a capsular contracture and you will need to have that corrected. Regards,

Jennifer Lauren Crawford, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question!  A retained sponge in an abdomen can be an easy source of infection and therefore make a patient sick.The great thing about silicone and other types of implants or hardware placed in the body is that they are relatively inert- meaning that the body does not chemically interact with them.  The body simply recognizes the implant or hardware as different and forms a scar capsule around it effectively walling it off from surrounding tissues.  It is rare for chronic inflammation to set in and that may possibly be due to a subtle contamination of the implant.  We think that's part of what happens to cause capsular contracture (or the firming of the scar capsule around the implant that can make it feel hard and look distorted).  Unfortunately there is a lot of confusing information about this issue out in the far reaches of the internet and most of it is not supported by any scientific research.  Hope this helps!

M. Scott Haydon, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. Silicone is a relatively inert substance, which means it doesn't create a big inflammatory reaction. Your body does know that it is foreign however and it will surround the implant with specialized scar tissue called a capsule. This is the same process as pacemakers, porta caths, knee replacements, etc. Best of Luck!

Michael E. Decherd, MD, FACS · Answer

You are confusing what happens with a retained abdominal instrument of sponge with rejection.  You body can tolerate a foreign body just fine most of the time.  Examples: Pacemaker, V-P shunt, Dialysis shunt, Hip/knee replacements, etc.  I know of a case where a guy had a Bic pen stuck in his sinuses for years!I hope that helps!

Bernard Kopchinski, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question. Your body will respond by forming a capsule or scar tissue around the implant. As for rejection, silicone is used in thousand of implanted devices in the body. Breast implants are no different than that. Breast implants are probably one of the most studies medical devices of all time. I hope this helps!

Robert Whitfield, MD · Answer

Breast, knee and hip implants are all recognized as foreign.  The body forms a capsule around it in each instance.  Your other question is different and relates to retained instruments or other materials that the body will try to form a capsule around.  These can be more complicated by the nature of the surgery in the abdomen and chest.

Priti Shukla, Mch - Account Suspended · Answer

Good question. Certain metals and materials are inert in the body and cause no reaction . Silicon is one of them and there are several others like stainless steel, titanium and so on. That is why there are breast implants , joint implants, artificial heart  valves and eye lenses. Many soldeirs have sharpnels of metal in their bodies which stay lifelong and are often left alone. But anything foreign can get infected and then it must be removed. Gauzes left during surgery by mistake usually cause a problem due to infection .

Why aren't breast implants rejected by the body as something foreign?

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