How can I tell if I ruptured my breast implant?

 It is very difficult to determine whether or not a silicone gel implant has ruptured based on physical exam or appearance alone. MRI is traditionally used as the gold standard for determining implant rupture. That being said other things can happen during a car accident such as implant mal positioning.   It is best that you see a board-certified plastic surgeon to help you make this determination. Although 40 mph does not seem to be significantly high speed at that force trauma can be substantial. Considering that you have bruising on that side is likely that something may have happened. Whether or not this is a rupture cannot be determined by description alone.

It is rare for blunt injury as in a car accident to rupture the new silicone implants. They are very durable and can take the forces involved in a car accident. This is not true of gel implants from over 10 years ago. To diagnose a possible rupture of silicone implants have your surgeon examine you, an MRI or sometimes an ultrasound exam may be necessary. In cases of saline implants, if there is a leak you will notice a change in size as the volume inside the implant is reduced. With saline implants, your body will absorb the leaking saline and it is not a problem, exchange of implant can occur at any time. Leaking silicone implant should be removed and replaced without a long delay since silicone gel can cause a local reaction if it is outside the shell of the implant.

The chances of your slicone gel implant rupturing due to the blunt force of an airbag are extremely unlikely. The implants are very durable and can withstand a significant amount of blunt force without causing any structural damage. That being said, the only way to know with more certainty would be to obtain an MRI. I would suggest just allowing the breasts to heal and for the bruising and pain to subside. If you have any asymmetry or persistent pain, consider having an MRI.  

Johanna, car accidents can be very traumatic. I'm glad you and the other passengers came out of this - overall - in good healthy. As to the implant question. First, as you probably know, saline implants will empty as the body absorbs water so a saline rupture is a fairly straightforward diagnosis. Not so with silicone. Silicone implants can have a silent rupture and may not be detected without an MRI.

Its very difficult to clinically detect a rupture of a gel implant.  You have choices to either pursue this aggressively due to car accident (perhaps auto insurance will cover the MRI) and have a MRI or if everything settles down and your breast remain clinically unchanged (soft and normal appearance), you can simply observe it and wait for changes to develop before having more studies or exams.

Silicone gel implants are a bit more difficult to tell if they are ruptured on physical exam. A more accurate way is to get an MRI.

Such traumatic events have a real likelihood of causing a breast implant rupture. You should get an MRI in the next few weeks as this is the one x-ray test that is most likely to detect a breast implant rupture.

With gel implants you won't be able to see any asymmetric different on the breasts , the shell could be broken and never know about it. The best recommendation is to have an MRI do to the accident and the brushing on the breast, an MRI done is the only exam  the could show if is ruptured or not. Best luck to you.

Either an MRI or an ultrasound can answer your question. The MRI is the gold standard, but very expensive. There is significant literature supporting the ultrasound. The results are reliable by comparison for a small fraction of the cost. I wish you well. Those mentor gel implants are likely intact!

Ruptured Silicon Gel Implants most often occur silently. There is no change in the external feel or appearance of the breast and yet the implant shell is broken. This can be true if the rupture occurred spontaneously or was associated with some trauma to your breast. Even though there is no asymmetry to the breast following an accident the implant may still have broken. The only noninvasive way to determine the status of your implant is to undergo on MRI exam of your breasts. Your plastic surgeon can order this exam for you.