Surgical Procedures for Women
Breast Augmentation - page 4 |
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Expectations and complications
Leakage of silicone can occur either as a slow seepage, or following rupture of the implant. This silicone is almost always contained within the fibrous capsule which the body forms around the implant. Silicone leakage has never been proved to cause serious health problems. The capsule which the body normally forms around the implant can become thickened and contracted. The newer designs of implants have features to reduce the likelihood of this happening. This occurs to
some extent in around 10% of patients and usually starts six or more months after surgery. This can lead to pain, and/or an abnormally hard feel of the implant in the breast. Treatment may be needed and occasionally removal of the implant.
Breast augmentation does not usually interfere in breast feeding, and there is no evidence of any significant quantities of silicone in breast milk (in fact there is more silicone in the milk of bottle-fed babies due to the teats). The presence of breast implants does make mammography more difficult.
You should tell the radiographer if you are due to have a mammogram that you have breast implants. Special X-ray views can be taken to minimise this interference. Most women have some degree of asymmetry between breasts and breast augmentation may occasionally exaggerate this difference.
Immediately after surgery your breasts will be swollen and may appear bigger than you expected.
A breast that has an underlying implant will not necessarily feel like a normal breast, and some women may be very aware of the implant as a foreign body within the breast. There is usually a difference in skin and nipple sensation following breast augmentation. The size and shape of the breast following breast augmentation surgery will adjust with time and is to some extent unpredictable. It is also not always possible to create a cleavage with breast augmentation. This depends on the shape of your rib cage. A very curved rib cage with a prominent breastbone makes creating a deep cleavage difficult. The weight of the implant may influence the age-related changes that normally take place in breasts. Breast augmentation will always leave scars on the breast or in the armpit, and although the scars will settle over 12 or more months, the appearance of the scars does vary between different individuals. This scarring is placed in such a position as to minimise visibility even when wearing a swimming costume.
Complications that occur with breast augmentation include those associated with all forms of surgery, as well as the specific problems of bleeding and infection. Any infection that may occur in the tissue around the implant can usually be treated with antibiotics, but may require
surgical removal of the implant.
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