How long can you keep a rupture saline implant before replacing them?

Forever I guess it an answer but keeping a foreign body without a purpose is not recommended especially as it is so simple to remove it. I generally do it as an office procedure under local anesthesia.

When a saline implant ruptures, your body absorbs the saline, the shell of the implant deflates, and the capsule around the implant begins to contract or tighten. The longer you leave the ruptured implant in, the tighter the capsule tends to get with time because it is tightening around a new smaller size. This can lead to visible rippling and distortion of the breast, as well as pain. If you remove the ruptured implant soon after the rupture, the capsule is not yet tight and replacing the implant is straightforward. The longer you wait, potentially more needs to be done during that surgery, such as removing the capsular contracture and releasing the scar tissue. The bottom line is there is no advantage to waiting.

When a saline implant ruptures, the breast usually gets smaller quite quickly like a flat tire. The tissues around the implant begin to shrink as well. I usually advise replacing the implant within about a week. This way the replacement surgery is easier with easier recovery and more ease of reestablishing a nice shape.

Thank you for your question.  If you have a ruptured implant you want to replace it as soon as you can.  Depending on how old the implants are, they may still be under warranty.  You can check with the manufacturer and find out if they are still covered under warranty to help cover any of the costs of surgery to have the implant replaced.  You don't want to leave the implant for too long, as scar tissue will start to form around the deflated implant.If you have any other questions regarding breast augmentation, you can access more information from my Breast Augmentation Planner which is free for you to download!  Go to aBetterBreast.com.Best of luck to you!

If you had a rupture, you should consider replacing them as soon as possible. Your breast may begin to shrink and change in size and shape. This would make a subsequent surgery more difficult. If you wish to remove both implants, this wouldn't be as much as a concern. 

Although there is no urgency to removal/replacement of the ruptured saline breast implant, waiting for a prolonged period of time may lead to additional work necessary during the procedure to “reopen” the breast implant pocket, that tends to contract down over the deflated saline implant. Therefore, probably best to have the procedure done within a month of deflation, if possible. The advice above is quite general; you will do best seeking consultation with well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons in your area. Best wishes.

You may keep the ruptured implant for life.  However, as it collapses, you may notice more corners and points.  These can become quite irritating. Your implant can just be removed under local anesthesia in the office.  However, if you wish to replace it, I would suggest doing so before your scar tissue lining collapses around the empty bag.

You will want to replace the ruptured implants as soon as possible. At the very least you should go for a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon as soon as possible to maximize your warranty coverage from the breast company. During the consultation, the surgeon can provide you a timeline to replace them.

I recommend to replace the implant ASAP as the pocket will begin to warp around the implant and form a capsule that is challenging to remodel. Please consult an experienced PS in your area for best exam and evaluation in the office. 

Ideally one would want to remove a ruptured saline implant as soon as possible but they do not have to be removed.  The pocket around the implant shrinks with time and the implants have a warranty so removal is best early on.  There is no harm though from a ruptured implant.Dr. Corbin