What is the importance of medical device cards for breast implants?

Implant ID cards are important in case a recall by the device company ever occurs. They are also helpful for any future surgeries, company warranty, and to identify size and style. Even if you did not receive the card, the implant type and serial number should be in your doctor's chart or in the hospital's.

These cards are your personal record of your implant information.  The size and shape of the implants, as well as the serial numbers are on the card.  This information is also contained in your medical records.  In the case of silicone implants, it is also on file with the implant manufacturer.  Despite this redundancy, the card is a useful reference in the event that the records are not readily available.  The implant information is helpful when planning revision surgery, especially if you are using a different surgeon than the one who performed the original procedure.

These cards are mostly good to the recipient as reference to the medical device placed.  Of course, breast implants have these cards, but hospitals also record them digitally and sometimes in a specific implant log book.  Finally, if the electronic medical record system is in use at a hospital it can be found there as well.  By requesting your records from a hospital or surgeon, one should be able to find these specifics.

If you ever have a problem with your implants or if you ever have another procedure on your breasts from another plastic surgeon, the device cards hold important information. Keep a copy in an accessible place. Some of my breast revision patients who had their original surgery elsewhere a long time ago can't remember what safe place they've been keeping that card all these years.

Your breast implant device card contains important information regarding the manufacturer, style, and size of your implants along with the unique serial number. This allows you to share these details with your physicians in the future if you require any revision or replacement. The implant device information should be listed on your operative report so a copy of that record would provide the details if you can't obtain the card.

Contact your board certified plastic surgeon's office for assistance. They should have the implant serial numbers on file. If the surgeon does not have this information, contact the facility where the procedure was performed.  Personnel from either of these office should be able contact the implant manufacturer for assistance. Best wishes.

This is a very perceptive question and one I can give some perspective on after a long career and nearing full retirement. It used to be that hospitals and surgeons paid little attention to the registration cards for breast implants and really didn't think much about what happened to the implants down the line. The hospital only had to keep records so long and if the surgeon retired there was often little means of getting the specs on old implants.  After the breast implant hysteria of the early 90's and the move of the manufacturers to guarantee their implants with replacement policies, it became more of an issue between the patient and the manufacturer rather than the patient and the surgeon. Therefore it is very important for the patient to keep the records of the implants with her personal/medical records and not worry about where the procedure was carried out or whether the surgeon is still in practice. In my office we made a major effort to make sure the patient got these records and got registered with the manufacturer. I have also made a major effort to hold on to patient's records for their implants even if I'm no longer in active practice. Usually the record of the implants is in the surgeon's operative report or in the operative record at the facility where the procedure was carried out. At this point the operating surgeon should still be able to obtain those records for you or you can request them from the operative facility. At the very least you should know the brand (manufacturer) of the implants, their type, and their size/dimensions including fill volume for saline-filled implants. 

It's a good idea to keep these cards in your personal medical file for reference if and when future surgery is needed. But your surgeon has all that information in your surgical record and can get a copy for you. The implant manufacturer will also have it. 

The information on the device card is important for you to keep should you need additional surgery in the future.  It may be a pain in the neck to get it, but it is available to you from the operative record at the hospital.  Your surgeon should have easy access to this information if you have a hard time obtaining it.  It is worth your while to get it now and keep it with other important documents.

Thank you for your question.  The device cards are an important documentation of the serial numbers of the implants that you have.  This is particularly important if in the future you need a revision or implant replacement as the breast implant manufacturer will want the serial numbers to provide replacement implants under warranty.These numbers should be recorded in your hospital chart and in your medical records in your plastic surgeon's office.  I suggest that you contact the facility where your implants were placed and request a copy of your medical records which should show the serial numbers of your implants.