Has anyone treated capsular contracture with ultrasound and had success?

Question

I know doctors want to operate but having another option to avoid surgery would be an amazing thing for patients. I'd like to hear from surgeons who have tried this method and had success?

Leland Deane, MD, FACS · Answer

The catch 22 here is that those surgeons with an excellent result rates and very few, if any, capsular contractures, will have no experience with ultrasound because  they just don't need it. The surgeons with the most experience will be the ones with the highest complication rates. Of course, if a patient goes to another surgeon to treat her capsules, that might be different but I don't think that there are many of these.

Larry Weinstein, MD · Answer

Smooth implants are best massaged regularly to help prevent contracture. Ultrasound, especially therapeutic grade has shown in some cases improvement in the softness of implants. Zafilukurst or monolukurst have been shown to help contracture as well. See a board certified plastic surgeon with an ultrasound machine or a good physical therapist. If not capsular release surgically may be indicated. Get an MRI to be sure the implant is not ruptured. If ruptured , replace it. Good luck...

James Romano, MD · Answer

I have for many years, and still continue to treat capsular contracture with Ultrasound. We use the METTLER device. I learned this from Steven Hofflin, MD in Santa Monica many years ago. I have had the absolute top expert in Ultasound that wrote THE book help me with settings and treatment protocol. Even with this, I have had limited results. It very often softens the contracture, but not that much. Some patients that do not have much contracture (when I treat this early) get a reasonable result. It never hurts. We can provide you the settings. I think the theory behind this is to use the ultrasound with correct head size, frequency, wattage and pulsed vs. continuous setting and then AGGRESSIVELY ultrasound the breast which softens up the collagen, then the improvement comes from following this with AGGRESSIVE massage and I have patients use a foam roller on the floor.

Deborah Ekstrom, MD · Answer

I have used ultrasound for capsules but the improvement is only modest, if any.  We no longer recommend or try to improve capsules by this method and go directly to surgical intervention.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Some have reported mild success in less severe capsular contractures. I am not sure if they have long term studies regarding this( greater than a year).  I do not use this as a treatment method.The gold standard is removal of the old implant and removal of the capsule as best as possible and then replace the implants.

Donald W. Kress, MD, FACS · Answer

I have used the Aspen system developed in FL specifically for capsular contracture. I presented my information in a plastics meeting in Colorado. I had about 90% improvement in capsular contractures Baker grade 2 or 3 (moderate). No improvement in Baker grade 4 (severe).

Has anyone treated capsular contracture with ultrasound and had success?

Answers (6)

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