Implant Removal/Capsulectomy

This is one of the most common reasons to have your implants removed. It is caused by an increasing amount of scar tissue around the implant that can calcify (think bone starting form around it - see video). Not everyone gets this far in the disease process, but if you are having increasing discomfort of the breast and feel as if your implants are getting more firm, or are starting to appear higher on the chest, you may have capsular contracture.

Cap con is reported in anywhere from 5% of patients up to 45%, depending on the type of implant, your heath history, and if you have any history of trauma (implant rupture).

The implants and the shell need to be removed, sometimes it comes out as a whole (en-bloc capsulectomy), or can be removed with different vaporization tools that help remove the abnormal parts of the scar tissue without damaging the underlying structures like muscle or bone. What happens after the implant comes out is up to you. If you don't want to replace the implant volume, you can just leave the implants out. If you want a mild to moderate volume replacement most people opt to have fat grafting where we perform liposuction in another area and transfer the fat to your breasts. Finally if you want the same or higher volume, you may need to replace the implant with another one. We will review these different techniques with you to make sure we find the perfect fit with the least amount of complications.