Breast augmentation surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and takes 2–3 hours. After the surgery the patient stays overnight at the clinic and is discharged the following morning. Recovery takes about three weeks.
During the surgery, drains (catheters) are placed under the breast through which the possible tissue fluid produced under the wound is drained. The drains stay in place as long as there is drainage (1–7 days).
We recommend pain-killers continuously right after the operation, because breasts are sore in the beginning. Drains are left in place for 5-7 days until liquid excretion ends. We use breast band in the upper part of breasts two weeks. It prevents the implant to move upward until it has become attached to its right place. Normal exercise helps general blood circulation and healing.
Possible problems
A breast implant does not prevent breastfeeding. Silicone is a well-tolerated substance and widely used in medical applications such as catheters, etc. The fact that silicone is not a biologically living tissue might cause problems. There is no blood circulation to it, and sometimes the body begins to reject such tissue. The body can form a protective shell, or a capsule, around the implant and this capsule can become so thick that it starts squeezing the implant. This will cause pain in the breast and can also change its shape.
At present it is commonly believed that encapsulation of the breast implant can be caused by bacterial colonization. Bacterial colonies can grow a biofilm that is resistant to antibiotics around the implant. In our surgical technique, we pay special attention to the prevention of biofilm formation: during the surgery the implant is washed and soaked in an antibiotic solution.
According to surveys, encapsulation occurs in approx.5 – 20% of implant cases. A few percent of these cause pain and changes in the breast shape, so that the implant has to be removed. The non-biological material of the implant can also become contaminated and cause a bacterial infection. To treat the infection the implant usually needs to be removed. Fortunately such bacterial inflammations are very rare.
Most recently, it has also been discovered that a larger number of textured implants than smooth implants have been associated with cases of ALCL (aggressive large cell lymphoma), although smooth implants do also carry a risk of ALCL. It is very rare. It produces liquid or grow a tumor around capsulae, that is easy to find in ultrasound-examination. If we found the problem at early stage, the capsulectomy and implant removal is enough to cure the patient. LINK to ALCL!!
It is important that breasts with implants be checked every year or two. As a safety measure, a breast ultrasound examination will be sufficient. If there is fluid build-up or capsule-thickening around the prosthesis, a biopsy should be taken. In this case, a breast MRI will also be necessary. If no symptoms or abnormalities are observed, the patient can continue to live with the implants and enjoy the physical transformation that they have provided.