Anything I Can Do to Prevent Encapsulation After Breast Implants?

Question

I had breast augmentation Feb. 2010, under muscle/sillicone. with a lift to left breast. went to see surgeon for 3 month check up, she thinks I may have encapsulation to left breast as its harder. Said to come back in 3 months and if not better, i need surgery. is there anything i can do?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

As Dr. Juan suggested there is a big difference between capsular contracture and encapsulation. The former is abnormal whereas the later is Normal. Breast implant displacement exercises may help as may accolate therapy anecdotally. Discuss these issues with your surgeon.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Unfortunately if you have a capsular contracture in which the implant can not move around freely in the pocket and is tight, you will likely need surgery to open the pocket up if the position of the implant is unfavorable.

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD · Answer

Terminology is important. First, all implants have encapsulation since the body forms a natural capsule around foreign bodies that is composed predominantly of collagen or scar tissue. Most capsules will produce very little compression on the implant so most implants stay soft to the touch. Some capsules will start to contracture or shrink, producing capsular contracture. As it shrinks, the pressure within the capsule increases producing a sense of firmness, hardness, and even pain or discomfort. The degree of capsular contracture is graded by various methods. Most minor degrees of capsular contracture (Baker grade 1 and 2) do not cause symptoms or distortion of the breast and are not treated, even though there is a capsule present. When there is distortion (grade 3) or pain (grade 4), treatment can be recommended and contemplated but cure is not 100%. A decision to treat or not treat is individualized.

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Up to 15% of breast augmentations end up with scar formation, capsular contracture,around the implant. This is an inherent risk of the operation. Although treatments with Vitamin E, Papaverine, certain anti Asthma
drugs have been proposed, none have been scientifically proven to reverse the scarring process. Short of surgery (Capsulotomy or Capsulectomy) the process is currently still poorly understood.

David A. Ross, MD (retired) · Answer

Capsular contracture is one of the more frustrating complications associated with breast augmentation because there is no sure fire way to prevent or correct it. For example, submuscular augmentation is believed to result in fewer capsular contractures yet you have developed one. Capsular contracture results when a normal production of scar tissue that develops around all implants goes haywire and shrinks the size of the implant pocket placing the implant under tension.

	The result is a firmer then natural feeling breast as you are presently experiencing. When the contracture has already occurred it generally requires a surgical procedure to release and or remove the scar tissue. Immediately after this surgery the breast will feel naturally soft and then the trick is to prevent the redevelopment of the contracture. If you get as far as a revisionary surgery ask your surgeon about breast massaging and a drug called Accolate to help prevent a new contraction.

Anything I Can Do to Prevent Encapsulation After Breast Implants?

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