11 year old saline implants ruptured. How long can I wait before getting them removed?

There is no rush to have your leaking or ruptured saline implants out. At some point when you are ready you would want to have them removed, because over time that can at times "poke" your tissues and become uncomfortable. It is a very simple procedure to have them removed.

Hope that helps.

Hello, thank you for your question. I understand how alarming it can be to notice significant changes in your breast, especially after having implants for so many years. The deflation you’re experiencing, particularly after 11 years, can understandably cause concern, but it’s important to approach this calmly and systematically. I have attached a video that discuss your concerns/question. While it's understandable to be concerned, the deflation of your saline implant doesn’t immediately pose a serious health risk, especially if there's no infection. The saline will be absorbed by your body, and most likely, there won’t be any lingering complications. The next step is to consult with a surgeon to discuss your options for explantation. If you’re ready to remove the implants and avoid replacements, your surgeon will help guide you through the process, including any necessary steps to ensure the best possible result. Try not to rush into any decisions; take your time to find the right solution that works for you.

Removal of breast implants, intact or ruptured, may have positive implications if patients are symptomatic. A constellation of symptoms associated with breast implant illness, and autoimmune disease are considered when treating patients who have breast implants and are concerned about foreign body reaction. In our office, we begin this journey with a consideration of symptoms and exclusion of obvious autoimmune problems. In many of our patients, en bloc removal of breast implants with capsulectomy is important and beneficial. Further clinical evidence about breast implant illness is evolving and will continue to guide treatment. I would suggest removal if there is a possibility of foreign body reaction.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

My advice is to remove them sooner than later. It's not an emergency but waiting months will increase scar tissue around the device and make the surgery more difficult. There is no related health problems bye waiting.

Dear sole,
if you have ruptured implants, they should be removed. In some cases, it is possible to remove them under local anesthesia. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Hello @Sole, thank you for your question. This depends if you are having discomfort, pain or other symptoms. Is important that when you get them remove the doctor removes the whole capsules as well. I mean complete capsulectomy. Also it would be necessary to carry out a preventive biopsy on each capsule. This way the mammary tissue can recuperate better and avoid a future inflammatory response from the bbody.If you are considering a breast explantation, consultation with a plastic surgeon who is experienced in this procedure is essential to ensure optimal results. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

At this juncture, you are not necessarily in any danger. The only thing that really presents itself as a challenge is that sometimes there is contraction of the tissue on the side that has deflated versus the side that has not. This can make symmetry a challenge during removal. If you are not interested in replacing the implants then you can undergo removal without difficulty when you find a surgeon you are comfortable with, and time permits. Again, you do have a little bit of time as you are not in danger. Furthermore, you may want to consider having a discussion regarding a breast lift in the setting of implant removal to provide you with the best aesthetics of your remaining breast tissue. Have a conversation about your goals with a board-certified plastic surgeon. We are happy to help in any way we can.

Your body will absorb the saline so there is no increased risk of infection. You can have these removed when it is more convenient to you.

In all honesty I do not think there are any set guidelines in regards to when to have your surgery to remove the implants. The shell of the implants will not cause you any harm or move around and the saline will not cause you any harm either. That being said I would not wait too long to have your implants removed and that's more for your piece of mind. The surgery should be fairly quick and your recovery should be quite smooth as well.

I'm sorry to hear that your implant ruptured. You're right, the saline does get absorbed by your body. Technically, there's no deadline. However, I would recommend consulting with a plastic surgeon soon for removal. Having one deflated breast will be a constant reminder that you have a ruptured implant. That, added with the cosmesis and asymmetry (in and out of clothing), would be good reason to have surgery. Implant removal alone without replacement is a quick, straight forward procedure.