Can a Leaking Silicone Implant Cause Chest / Rib Pain?

Depending on the type of implant you have the consequences of a rupture will be different but I would say yes you could get any type of pain after a rupture

You need to have the ruptured implants removed asap.  Leaving the silicone to leak longer will be more difficult for the surgeon to complete the surgery. 

A ruptured gel implant is unlikely to cause rib pain. Regardless, a ruptured implant should be replaced. I recommend finding a plastic surgeon in your area for evaluation.

Just a leaky implant will not cause pain and many are silent and only discovered on mammography. However, if it is accompanied by capsular contracture due to loss of the integrity of the implant, or chondritis due to inflammatory changes, or siliconomas, then you should have those implants removed and treat the inflammation. In any case discuss it with your doctor who will explain to you whether your leak is intracapsular or extracapsular and other details. That may explain to you better why you have the pain. HC

It is possible but best to exchange the "leaking" implant ASAP! What are you waiting for? From MIAMI Dr. Darryl J. Blinski

If you have leak from your implants ,they need to be removed. The leakage of the silicone can cause capsular contracture and local inflammation and pain.

A leaking silicone breast implant can have no symptoms, vague symptoms or in rare cases be associated with discomfort. Your presentation is NOT typical of a leaking silicone gel implant.

In my opinion it is time for some tests starting with a regular chest film looking for more common chest and rib conditions which would explain the pain and moving on to a MRI which will most likely show any leaking.

Dr. Peter Aldea

It is unlikely that the silicone itself is causing rib pain. More likely priro surgery with possible removal of involved tissue ro capsule may be the cause. But you should review this with your doctor.

Although you can never say never in medicine, it is extremely unlikely that the pain you describe is due to leaking of your silicone implant if the silicone remains in the periprosthetic capsule.  When silicone extravasates from the capsule it can sometimes cause an inflammatory reaction which can be accompanied by pain and discomfort (but this would be unusual).

There are several questions here. First is how do you know the implant has leaked? Frequently a radiologist will see a “bump” on the side of an implant on a mammogram and call it a leak. Usually there is no leak, just a weakness in the scar capsule around the implant with bulging of the implant through the weakness. This rarely causes pain. In fact, a leaking implant rarely causes pain. The second question is, exactly where is the pain. The usual cause of the pain is the breast tissue itself. If this is the case, it can be treated with diet and/or vitamin supplements or medications. This is also frequently self-limited and is almost never affected by anything you do to the implant. If the pain is actually coming from the implant or its capsule, then one has to decide why and how to treat it. Occasionally the pain comes from the muscle or the rib. To determine exactly why you have the pain you need a thorough evaluation by whomever did your augmentation or another Plastic Surgeon.