Breast Implants

A breast implant rupture is something that women with breast implants should educate themselves about. It is important that women who have breast implants understand what a rupture is and what to look for.

A rupture refers to a small tear of inner shell that allows the silicone gel or saline to leak into the outer capsule. For many women with a silicone gel implants they are unaware of a rupture because the silicone is confined in the capsule and has not entered the blood stream. In most cases, the rupture is detected during a mammography screening by pure accident. Pain is generally not associated with a rupture, so it is hard for a woman to know. Watching for a change in size, shape or any lumps might suggest a rupture.

A mammogram is commonly how a rupture is detected. Since women present for breast cancer screenings sometimes they get bad news regarding their breast implants. If you suspect a rupture in your implant, a mammogram is not the best tool to determine whether you have indeed ruptured the inner shell of the implant.

A MRI is the most efficient way to determine whether a rupture is present. The MRI is a very technologically advanced machine that can detect the most minute details of the breast, chest wall and implant itself. There are however down sides to the MRI. The biggest problem with the MRI is the expense and secondly they are time consuming.

Some hospitals or physicians will use an ultrasound machine to detect a suspected rupture as well. The ultrasound can be effective at determining the problem, but can also depend on the operator's skill level. There have been many cases where the test was indecisive or unable to detect a rupture when one in fact did exist.

In most cases, after a rupture is found the surgeon will perform a repair or replacement surgery. Some women decide to have the implants removed at this time for fear of the same happening again. The repair surgery is not as painful or risky as the first surgery. Although there is an expense involved it is important that the rupture be repaired at once. A breast implant rupture can be problematic if not medically tended to in a timely manner.