Does having multiple breast surgeries increase the risk of capsular contracture?

Capsular contracture is related to contamination of the implant at the time of implant placement with skin bacteria. Anytime you manipulate the implant more, this increases the risk for capsular contracture.

It is not possible to answer this question with certainty due to lack of sufficient data. So far opinions are divided. We don't even now for sure whether if you had a capsular contraction there is a higher risk with next surgeries. it is important for the surgeon to minimize the risk , there are well known factors such as bleeding and infection for example

There can be more risk of developing capsular contracture with more surgeries. This is due to the fact that every time you do surgery, there is a risk of bleeding and contamination. However, with good technique, the chances of capsular contracture is very low.

If you are doing surgery on one breast, you can consider doing the other side, especially if you want to make changes to the implant size/shape/profile. If you are happy with the size and just looking to address the one breast with the capsular contracture, then it would be reasonable to leave the other breast alone.

Multiple surgeries don't necessarily increase your risk of cc, but performing a primary or revision surgery incorrectly does. Be sure your surgeon is using an inframammary incision, removing all the capsule and implant, replacing a new implant and using mesh to secure the implant into position. As for the other breast, be sure that it is very soft, otherwise it will appear to be firm too after the affected side gets treated. If it isn't, it should be treated too.

Yes, the more surgeries you have, especially if you have developed a capsule, the more risks of developing another capsule is present. You might try oral Accolate and external ultrasound treatments to see if the capsule can be softened.

We know of a few reasons why some patients get recurrent or primary capsular contractions. Excess blood around the implant during the primary procedure is one reason for the development of capsular contractions. Placing the implant above the pectoralis muscle also increases the chance of capsular contractions. The most common reason for multiple repeat capsular contraction is contamination with slime coat or staph epidermidis bacteria. These are slow, growing bacteria that do not cause clinical infections. The bacteria is very difficult to detect and isolate, and it’s usually not found on regular laboratory testing.It is often a diagnosis based on exclusion, and is most likely the number one reason for patients who have recurrent capsular contractions. The bacteria most likely come from skin contamination during surgery so repeat operations increase the risk for staphylococcus epidermidis contamination of the implant which can lead to recurrent capsular contractions, eventually leading to potential implant failure. The bacterial contamination can not be cured with the use of antibiotics.
Plastic surgeons may have different views on the incidence of this condition. The true statistics are difficult to assess because the bacteria is difficult to diagnose and confirm without specialty testing and specialty equipment.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD