What happens to the pectoral muscle post explant?

A lot of how the initial surgeon did the dissection was important along with if you have a capsular contracture, you could have a neuroma, along with malposition of the implant; along with the implant sitting on the nerve, among many other reasons that could account for pain. So when your pectoral muscle was cut, it was never sutured down, it will lift up and again, dependent on your surgeon’s technique. The goal is to not cut the muscle and to remove the implant below the muscle and leave everything intact.

After implant explantation, the pectoral muscle will scar back into its original position. It would be highly unlikely this would cause any nerve issues. I suggest you see your doctor to discuss these issues.

The pectoral muscle does not reliable re-attach by itself, and I have seen many cases of animation deformity persisting after implants were removed. It should definitely be re-attached.

When the implants are removed the muscle is generally not surgically reattached, which typically is not an issue. The nerve pain you describe is not common after breast augmentation. It would be difficult to determine if it was related to an implant, shingles, or some other factor. If you are interested in having your implants removed, see a board certified plastic surgeon near you to learn more.

Hello @ivrn1, thank you for your question. The pectoralis muscle generally has the ability to return to its condition in a short time. When breast surgery is done and part of the breast is placed behind the muscle while the rest is placed on the outside of the muscle, when aesthetic reconstruction (reacomodation of mammary tissue to give breast projection with BRALAN technique) is done, unless there is a pathology that prevents this from happening or a rupture or something special, the muscle may return to make the contraction and stay in place. If you are considering a breast explantation, consultation with a plastic surgeon who is experienced in this procedure is essential to ensure optimal results. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)