Breast implant surgery is generally considered a cosmetic procedure. But whatever the purpose it is a surgical procedure requiring the body to under a medical invasive procedure and there are a number of breast implant complications that can occur, even if the chances are low.
Pain is possibly the most common of the complications with breast enlargement or rather one can say a side effect. Pain will occur during the recovery period as the body heals and scar tissues build around the implant. Pain can also occur due to surgical errors like wrong size of implant, wrong placement of implant or due to other breast augmentation complications. If pain persists and is severe, contact your surgeon immediately.
There are many complications associated with breast enlargement. Breast Implants are basically silicone gel or saline filled and the covering is not immune to tear or leak over time. Consequently, ruptured implants are somewhat common complications of breast implants. The sign of a ruptured implant is the deflation or change in shape of the breast as the gel or saline solution inside starts seeping out into the body. Sometimes, implants can leak slowly overtime without the patient realizing anything is wrong until there is a marked difference in the shape of the breast.
Research shows that most implants that are prone to rupture will do so within the first few months. This generally occurs if the implants are over filled or under filled or roughly handled either ore or post surgery. Unfortunately with time also the implant walls wear out naturally and get ruptured. A ruptured implant generally requires a replacement surgery.
Capsular Contracture is one of the breast augmentation complications that can occur when the scar tissue that forms around the implant after surgery starts to squeeze the implant. This can occur if there is infection, inflammation etc post surgery. It can manifest through a feeling of tightness, change in contour and firmness, mild to severe pain and general sensitivity. This complication also requires immediate surgery and possible replacement.
Infections are also common in complications with breast enlargement. Infections can lead to capsular contracture or even Toxic Shock Syndrome, which can be life threatening. Symptoms include fever, rash like outbreak, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness and even fainting spells. If antibiotics cannot control the infection, then it will require immediate surgery to remove implant and more severe treatment.
Complications with breast enlargement can occur due to either hematoma or seratoma, which is basically collection of blood or the watery part of the blood in and around a wound. This can lead to either infection or capsular contracture, and will need to be treated accordingly. Breast augmentation complications also include non-threatening side effects like cosmetic changes or ultra sensitivity. While medically non-threatening either symptom can be a hassle in practical life, affect sexual responses or breast feeding.
Moreover, complications with breast enlargement can be a major concern for breast feeding mothers. It's not proven but doctors are apprehensive that silicone or saline discharge from the implants be passed on to the child while breast feeding. Breast feeding can also lead to ruptured implant. Studies show that more than 60% of the women with breast implant are not able to breast feed due to one reason or the other.
Women who have undergone breast implant surgery are advised to undergo an MRI regularly to check the health of the implants. Sometimes, calcium deposits around the implant can show up as cancerous growth and cause anxiety. Unfortunately, without biopsy it will be hard to differentiate between the harmless calcium deposit and cancerous growth.
Scarring due to necrosis and extrusion are other complications of breast implants. Dead tissues forming around the implants can become permanent scars under the skin and if the implants are not properly places, they can actually become visible under the skin layer. This is known as extrusion. The breast implants can also put pressure on the tissues around it, causing damage to other organs and tissues around the chest area.
Almost all complications of breast implants require additional surgery. Even without complication with breast enlargement, additional surgery is likely if the patient is not happy with the results. Also, if for some reason the implants cannot be replaced due to any of these breast augmentation complications, the patient may end up with misshapen breasts.
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