When the saline or silicone breast implant sustains a tear or hole,you have a breast implant rupture. It is really important to recognize the signs early on so you and your cosmetic surgeon could identify the cause of the problem and remedy it. If the breast implant ruptures, the content of the implant (fluid or gel) might leak to the surrounding breast tissue.

Breast implants are designed to be replaced every 10-20 years but there are implants which can last a lifetime without any problems. Older implants are much more likely to rupture because of the extensive time of wear and tear and because they had certain design limitations. Now, not every breast implant rupture displays the same symptoms. They all vary depending on the type of implant that was used, and in what way were they implanted by the plastic surgeon.

If you do get diagnosed with breast implant rupture, you can discuss with your surgeon the possible ways to rectify this – the most typical ones are either implant removal or replacement.

Breast implant rupture – causes

Usually, breast implants don’t rupture easily since they are quite resilient. But, if they do rupture, it might be because of the following reasons:

  • Aging of implants and wear and tear can cause them to rupture.
  • Physical trauma e.g. car accident, when the breasts sustain serious injuries can lead to implant rupture. Regular physical activity rarely leads to breast implant rupture.
  • Perforation during implant surgery is accountable for 50% of all breast implant ruptures. These are all microscopic perforations that happen during insertion and they grow over time.
  • Perforation during breast exam e.g. when the doctor performs a biopsy to examine a breast mass, he can accidentally perforate the breast implant
  • Mammograms can put a significant enough pressure on your breast which can make your implant rupture
  • Older breast implants had a bit softer and more fragile shells that can sometimes rupture

Be aware that a significant amount of energy and force is required for a breast implant to rupture. So everyday physical activity, working out, coughing or sneezing is highly unlikely that will cause any problems.

Breast implant rupture – symptoms

Based on whether you have a saline-based or a silicone-based implant, the symptoms of breast implant rupture can be quite different. However, there are symptoms that are common in both cases:

Decreased breast size

This is more visible in saline-based implants which can completely deflate in 2-3 days after perforation. The saline which leaks out of the implant to the surrounding tissue, becomes absorbed. So when you notice a rapid decrease in breast size, you can know, almost right away, that your breast implant was ruptured. Luckily, the saline is just salt water solution and it won’t cause ANY damage if it gets absorbed by your body

Pain in your breast

When a breast implant ruptures, the material inside the implant leaks and it can put additional stress or pressure on the surrounding tissue.

Misshapen breast

This is mostly common with silicone-based implants. Since silicone is a thick, gel-like substance, when it leaks, it won’t get absorbed by your body. Instead, it will most likely remain in one place, outside the implant and you won’t notice any change in breast volume. But, over time, in order to prevent the silicone for seeping inside your breast tissue, your body will start forming scar tissue around it. This scar tissue, called siliconoma or granuloma, will grow around the silicone, forming a capsule and slightly changing the size of your breast.

Breast lumps

These are also much more characteristic to silicone implant ruptures. Sometimes the breast shape and size remains the same but you can discover new lumps which might be a sign of a ruptured implant.

Hopefully these symptoms can help you identify whether your breast implant has ruptured or not. If you’re not entirely sure, but you suspect, it is best to contact Dr. Kotoske today to have a proper exam.

In our next post, we will be focusing on how are breast ruptures diagnosed and what are the treatment options.