How Long Does a Saline Breast Implant Last?

Saline breast implants do not have a specific lifespan.  The most common cause for implant deflation is a fold or crease failure, which results from a permanent folding of the implant and eventual fatigue of the silicone shell.  This was much more common years ago when the implants had a lower fill volume recommended by the manufacturer than they do today.  The majority of saline breast implants today are filled to the "maximal volume" as recommended by the manufacturer.  This reduces wrinkles and creases in the implant shell, which has improved the appearance and performance of the implants.  I have many patients with saline implants that are still intact after 20 years.  If the implant isn't leaking, and there are no other problems, there is no reason to replace them.  For patients with saline implants that are more than 10 years old, I generally recommend a replacement of both implants if one should need replacing.  Since the saline implants are filled with sterile IV saline, there is no concern about safety if the implant leaks, since your body will absorb the saline solution. In over 20 years of experience with saline implants, my patients have less than a 2% deflation rate.  Hope this is helpful. 

Implants can last indefinitely, but most women should plan to have some type of surgery every 10 to 15 years. This may include a size change, changing from saline to silicone, or replacement after rupture. Saline implants have a 10% risk of rupture over 10 years. The latest silicone-gel implants have a 2.5% rupture risk over nine years. Research has shown that saline and silicone breast implants have an acceptable safety profile. Make sure to find a board-certified plastic surgeon that you contrast. They will be happy to talk with you about breast implants, the procedure, and the recovery.

I know of several women who received implants and have never had to change them. It is a myth that implants must be changed every 10 years. Generally, if you don't have a problem with your implants and haven't noticed any pain or a change in appearance, then there is no need to replace them.  You should visit your surgeon or doctor regularly so that they may also examine you to make sure your implants are in good condition. 

Saline Breast implants are safe devices with a variable lifespan. Some patients comfortably and safely have breast implants well over 15 years while others need to replace every couple of years.

Saline implants are safe devices which have a variable "lifespan." As man-made devices, they will eventually rupture if given enough time. Rupture rates due tend to increase after 10 years or so. A rupture is usually easy to see as the breast simply "deflates." The saline within the device is absorbed by the body. Replacement consists of simply removing the old implant and placing a new one.

Implants do not have a specific life span.  Some an last a few years, and others a lifetime.

No implant can be expected to be a lifetime device.  Each patient will subject the implant to different mechanical forces.  The most common reason for a saline implant rupture is a fold crease defect.  Essentially the wear and tear and friction at the end of a fold in the implant. It is like bending a wire back and forth, eventually it can wear out.  Using the appropriately sized base diameter implant will certainly decrease the risk of implant rupture.  A wide implant placed in a narrow pocket will be more prone to folding and eventually failure.  

Typically, the average life span of saline implants is somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-15 years. My philosophy in my practice has been, if it's not broke don't fix it. You'll know fairly quickly that you have a ruptured implant(s) because saline implants leak fast. Certainly, you needn't be alarmed by the rupture. Keep in mind, implants are like anything else you buy; shoes, cars, etc...with time there will be wear and tear. So know you will at some point have to have both implants replaced. 

Saline breast implants are constructed to last when placed in the body.  However, any implanted device can fail.  When a saline implant ruptures the fluid volume is absorbed, into the body, and the projection is lost.  This is not  any risk to patient health.  The surgical removal/replacement is then indicated.

Saline-filled breast implants are designed and expected to last a lifetime but they cannot be guaranteed to last a lifetime and they can fail any time from short term to long term. I don't feel there is an appropriate time frame to count on nor do I feel they need to be replaced at some set time. Fortunately the data for saline-filled breast implants is fairly good because it is obvious if and when they fail and there is no health issue or tests to run. Silicone gel-filled breast implants can also fail, but the data on this is not as good because currently there is no simple way to know if a silicone gel-filled implant has failed and needs to be replaced. This may get easier in the future with a simple test but it isn't available now. I recommend patients look at all the advantages and disadvantages of saline-filled or gel-filled implants and choose which they think is best for their situation and concerns. There are other important factors besides failure rate.