Reconstructive Surgery with Expanders - Infected

The most appropriate treatment to salvage the implant  is being done.  Downstaging infections is difficult but can be accomplished.  You did not state whether or not a biologic material like acellular dermal matrix was used in your reconstruction.  If the expander is unable to be salvaged  then of course it can be removed.  I have taken care of pateint's in this situation before and after their infections.  Once it is resolved I hope you will be able to have a breast reconstruction with your own tissue.  The DIEP flap is the procedure I most commonly perform to reconstruct the breast after these tissue expander infections.

Your pictures look as though you may have to consider removal. Salvage with antibiotics is appropriate but after a while the source of the infection (the expander) need to come out.

Based on the pictures and information in your question, I feel that the breast implants should be removed, cultures should be obtained from the wounds, and the infection should fully controlled first.

Once the infection is fully resolved and tissues have softened, then reconstruction with a flap breast reconstruction technique should be considered. 

The flap breast reconstruction techniques do not use breast implants, so this avoid the problems of infected breast implants, displaced or exposed breast implants.

The flap reconstruction options create a breast that is entirely your own tissues resulting in a warn, soft, natural breast.   You need a consultation and detailed discussion with a reconstructive plastic surgeon to determine if you  are candidate for flap breast reconstruction such as a TRAM flap, or DIEP flap.