Breast Implant Revision & Removal Melbourne

NorthEast Plastic Surgery, has changed the layout of the educational information about this
procedure to outline the risk and recovery information at the top of the page in order to be
compliant with the advertising guidelines of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
(Ahpra).

As we appreciate that this may impact your understanding, the surgeons will answer any related
questions at your consultation.

Why patients consider breast implant revision

As no breast implant is a lifetime device, at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne we advise our breast augmentation patients to attend for annual review of their implants and assessment of any developing complications such as hardening due to capsular contracture, rupture or malposition. In addition over time, breast implants thin overlying breast tissue and stretch skin causing drooping of the breast and nipples. In some cases, bodies and breasts will also have changed due to life events such as weight fluctuations, pregnancy or breast feeding. These influences can cause changes in breast shape, discomfort and associated dissatisfaction.

Some patients may simply have concerns about their cosmetic appearance following breast augmentation, whether performed in Australia or overseas. Others may no longer wish to have breast implants due to worries around Breast Implant Illness (BII), a condition in which patients consider that their silicone breast implants are linked to a variety of symptoms. Whilst currently there is no proven causal scientific link to BII, at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne we respect a woman’s wish to seek implant removal.

The surgeons at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne are very experienced at looking after patients with all such concerns. The specific indications, risks and benefits of breast implant removal and capsulectomy surgery, are discussed with patients and a bespoke treatment plan established on a case-by-case basis.

What treatments are available to women who are have breast implant complications and/or are unhappy with their breast aesthetic?

Revision breast implant surgery can be performed as isolated explantation, in conjunction with capsulectomy, or frequently in combination with adjunctive procedures to optimise aesthetic breast appearance. The basis of technique selection is founded upon a combination of breast implant status, breast soft tissue morphology and patient desires.

At NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne, surgical options comprise:

• Breast implant removal surgery in conjunction with ‘partial’, ‘subtotal’, or ‘total’ capsulectomy, the latter where medically indicated and sometimes referred to as an ‘en bloc’ procedure in which the prosthesis and its surrounding fibrous capsule are removed together as a single unit;
• Mastopexy (breast lift surgery) to correct soft tissue stretch and droop of the nipple-areolar complexes from implant use, pregnancy, lactation and weight fluctuations. This procedure repositions breast tissue to achieve optimal breast volume positioning and projection with optimised placement of the nipple-areolar complex;
• Autologous fat grafting to augment the breasts and cleavage using a woman’s naturally available soft tissue, without the use of silicone implants;
• Replacement breast implants aiming to achieve further aesthetic breast augmentation; and
• Combined surgical techniques.

Your consultation process at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne will determine your goals. The techniques most likely to achieve them and optimise your aesthetic will then be offered to you. Surgery may be performed at a single operation or in a staged manner, which will form an important part of your surgical planning process. You will be well informed of management options available.

How is breast implant removal performed?

Breast implant removal techniques are tailored by the surgeons at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne depending upon each patient’s individual requirements. They can vary from implant removal alone, to partial, subtotal, or total capsulectomy.

The technique most commonly requested at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne is breast implant removal in conjunction with ‘en bloc’ capsulectomy surgery. Your surgeon will explain the terminology relevant to capsulectomies and how the term ‘en bloc’ has come to be associated with it.

Following careful clinical assessment and examination at your consultation, the surgeons will discuss their findings with you and determine the most appropriate technique(s) to complement your specific requirements. In this way, you are most likely to achieve an optimal outcome. All relevant techniques are performed under general anaesthetic administered by a Specialist Anaesthetist. The surgery is performed in an accredited hospital where operative conditions are optimised for a safe outcome. It can be undertaken as a day-case procedure or with overnight stay.

Explantation and capsulectomy surgery

This technique involves removal of breast implants along with the surrounding fibrous tissue which is referred to as a ‘capsule’. Such surgery can be complex where a submuscular breast implant capsule has fused with the ribs and soft tissues. In such circumstances, capsulectomy has to be undertaken with extreme care and judgement, to avoid the risk of breaching the chest cavity, known as a pneumothorax, which results in lung collapse and requires emergency management. The Surgeons at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne are very experienced in performing this surgery carefully and safely.

Aesthetic optimisation of breasts after explantation and capsulectomy surgery

Breast implant removal and capsulectomy surgery is routinely combined with aesthetic breast restorative procedures at NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne. These techniques may include:

• Breast lift or mastopexy surgery to address breast and nipple droop from soft tissue stretch due to breast implants, weight fluctuations, pregnancy or breast feeding;
• Autologous fat grafts to enhance upper pole fullness and cleavage; and
• Breast implant replacement to achieve aesthetic breast shape and cleavage

Risks of breast implant explantation and capsulectomy

As with any operation, breast implant removal and capsulectomy surgery under general anaesthetic is associated with a number of general risks including blood clots in leg veins or lungs. Specific risks also include scaring, wound healing problems such as infections, wound breakdown, bleeding or haematoma and tissue fluid collection or seroma formation and pneumothorax. Nipple sensitivity may be affected in approximately 1 in 10 women ranging from loss of sensitivity to hypersensitivity. These risks and benefits of breast implant explantation and capsulectomy surgery will be discussed with you during your consultation and you will be provided with the opportunity to ask questions.

What is the typical recovery after breast implant removal surgery?

Recovery from breast implant removal and capsulectomy surgery is generally similar to breast augmentation surgery, typically occurring over a period of ten days to two weeks. Where mastopexy, fat graft or revision breast augmentation surgery is concurrently performed, recovery typically occurs over two weeks.

The NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne experience - capsulectomy, mastopexy and autologous fat graft surgery

The Surgeons of NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne are very experienced at undertaking breast implant removal and capsulectomy surgery of all types. They frequently combine such surgery with aesthetic breast surgery comprising mastopexies (breast lift), autologous fat grafting and/or breast implant replacement.

All revisional surgery is challenging because of its complexity and unpredictability, particularly when the original augmentation surgery has been performed elsewhere and in circumstances where the breasts have changed due to implant age or life events such as weight fluctuations, breast size changes during pregnancy or lactation and the passage of time. Selecting a surgical team which is highly experienced in the field can optimise the likelihood of achieving an aesthetic breast outcome. NorthEast Plastic Surgery Melbourne has such surgical experience.

Second Opinion

Mr Patrick Tansley MD FRCS (Plast) and Dr Sugitha Seneviratne FRACS (Plast) provide second opinion consultations to patients seeking to address problems following Abdominoplasty surgery performed elsewhere including revisional or corrective surgery. If you would like a second opinion on previously undertaken surgery, book a consultation to discuss this with one or both of our surgeons.