02 80 698 974
Contact us today
423 Bourke St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia
Get directions 02 80 698 974

Opening Hours

Today 9:00am - 5:00pm Tomorrow 9:00am - 5:00pm
  • 02 80 698 974

  • Contact us today

02 80 698 974
svg asset
  • Procedures
    • Face
      • Rhinoplasty
      • Facelift
      • Neck Lift
      • Brow Lift
      • Eyelid Rejuvenation (blepharoplasty)
      • Chin Augmentation
      • Otoplasty
    • Breasts
      • Breast Augmentation
      • Breast Lift with Implants
      • Breast Reconstruction
      • Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction
      • Asymmetrical Breast Correction
      • Breast Reduction
      • Breast Revision
      • Breast Implant Removal
      • Gynaecomastia
      • 380cc Demi Implant
    • Body
      • Ancillary Procedures
      • Corrective Surgery
      • Tummy Tuck
      • Thigh Lift
      • Labiaplasty
      • Liposuction
  • Showcases
    • Facelift
    • Rhinoplasty
    • Breast Augmentation
    • Complex Breast Augmentation Cases
    • High Profile Implants
    • Smaller Breast Implants
    • Mini Breast Implants
    • 310cc Mini Implants
    • 330cc Moderate Plus Implants
    • 340cc Demi Implants
    • 380cc Demi Implant
    • Asymmetrical Breasts
    • Upsizing Breast Implants
    • Breast Lift with Implants
    • Breast Lift and Implants
    • Teardrop Implants
    • Scarless Breast Lift
    • Breast Reduction
    • Internal Bra
    • Revisional Surgery
    • Breast Reconstruction
    • Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction
    • Tuberous Breasts
    • Transformational Surgery
    • Post-Pregnancy Makeover
    • Dr Moradi Makeovers
    • Makeover Surgery
    • Corset Abdominoplasty
    • Ancillary Procedures
  • About Dr Moradi
    • Text Book Chapter Publications
    • Academic Publications
  • News & Articles
    • Surgical Simulation
    • Dr Moradi in the Media
    • FAQs
    • Blog
  • Video Gallery
  • Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • Procedures
    • Face
      • Rhinoplasty
      • Facelift
      • Neck Lift
      • Brow Lift
      • Eyelid Rejuvenation (blepharoplasty)
      • Chin Augmentation
      • Otoplasty
    • Breasts
      • Breast Augmentation
      • Breast Lift with Implants
      • Breast Reconstruction
      • Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction
      • Asymmetrical Breast Correction
      • Breast Reduction
      • Breast Revision
      • Breast Implant Removal
      • Gynaecomastia
      • 380cc Demi Implant
    • Body
      • Ancillary Procedures
      • Corrective Surgery
      • Tummy Tuck
      • Thigh Lift
      • Labiaplasty
      • Liposuction
  • Showcases
    • Facelift
    • Rhinoplasty
    • Breast Augmentation
    • Complex Breast Augmentation Cases
    • High Profile Implants
    • Smaller Breast Implants
    • Mini Breast Implants
    • 310cc Mini Implants
    • 330cc Moderate Plus Implants
    • 340cc Demi Implants
    • 380cc Demi Implant
    • Asymmetrical Breasts
    • Upsizing Breast Implants
    • Breast Lift with Implants
    • Breast Lift and Implants
    • Teardrop Implants
    • Scarless Breast Lift
    • Breast Reduction
    • Internal Bra
    • Revisional Surgery
    • Breast Reconstruction
    • Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction
    • Tuberous Breasts
    • Transformational Surgery
    • Post-Pregnancy Makeover
    • Dr Moradi Makeovers
    • Makeover Surgery
    • Corset Abdominoplasty
    • Ancillary Procedures
  • About Dr Moradi
    • Text Book Chapter Publications
    • Academic Publications
  • News & Articles
    • Surgical Simulation
    • Dr Moradi in the Media
    • FAQs
    • Blog
  • Video Gallery
  • Gallery
  • Contact Us
Intro Banner Lines

Implant rupture: What do I do?

Share the Blog
Home News & Articles Blog Implant rupture: What do I do?

The rupture of silicone implants can cause the patient some concern regarding diagnosis and management.

The rupture of silicone implants can cause both the patient and plastic surgeon some concern regarding diagnosis and management. This article will glance over:

  • rates of implant rupture,
  • types of implant rupture,
  • diagnosis and
  • treatment options.

The incidence of rupture of silicone implants varies greatly according to the type of implant used, the age of the implant, degree of capsular contracture and a history of trauma (including mammography).

The diagnosis can be made by physical examination, mammography, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging. More commonly, however, implant rupture is unnoticed by the patient because the free silicone is kept in place by the fibrous capsule, and often neither form nor feeling of the breast changes.

How often do implants rupture?

In a study published this year examining the incidence of breast implant rupture for newer generation cohesive implants, MRI scans cited a rupture rate of 12-17% after 10 years.

Based on MRI data in a study by Mentor, the estimated rupture rate for their Contour Profile Gel breast implant was low, with the rupture rate at 6 years of:

  • 2.1% for primary augmentation,
  • 2.9% for revision- augmentation,
  • 1.5% for breast reconstruction,

So what do you do as a patient?

Ask your plastic surgeon, what implants he/she uses and ask for the most relevant and recent data available on the implants.

So what are the different ways implants can rupture?

The escape of silicone gel from the implant shell can be divided into 2 categories:

  1. Intracapsular rupture: This is the more common form of rupture accounting for 80-90% of ruptured implants. The leakage of the silicone doesn't extend beyond the fibrous capsule and most often is unrecognised because of a lack of symptoms or physical changes in breast configuration.
  2. Extracapsular rupture: Less common accounting for 10-20% of ruptured implants. There is leakage of gel outside the fibrous capsule into the surrounding breast tissue, with some reports in the literature of migration of the silicone particles to distant sites such as the arm pit.

How do I diagnose a ruptured implant?

In most cases ruptured implants are unnoticed as they are small intracapsular leaks with no external changes to the breast's dimensions. Should you suspect an implant rupture or you require reassurance of the integrity of your implants, then there are a number of imaging modalities available to you; namely MRI, mammogram or ultrasound. Each modality has its strengths and weaknesses, however MRI is the imaging modality of choice as it can more readily emphasise or suppress the signal from water, fat or silicone, therefore delineating silicone from surrounding breast tissue including the capsule.

The diagram below shows an intracapsular rupture and the arrows on the MRI show the appearance of a collapsed implant shell.

In the diagram and MRI below you can see an extracapsular rupture, with the straight arrow showing silicone outside the breast capsule.

Is a ruptured implant dangerous and what should I do?

Implant failures can be treated by simple implant exchange and washout of the implant pocket.

Should you decide not to undergo an operation to replace your implants, it is reassuring to know that on the basis of the currently available scientific evidence, untreated silicone breast implant rupture is a relatively harmless condition, which rarely gives rise to notable symptoms.

Because implant ruptures often occur asymptomatically, any woman with silicone implants, regardless of rupture status, should be evaluated at regular intervals by their plastic surgeon.

Ask Dr Pouria Moradi

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Online assessment

Upload a photo for an initial assessment

Information Packs.

We have created a series of free downloadable guides about some of our most popular treatments. These give you in-depth insight into the treatment, so you'll feel educated and empowered as you contemplate your decision.

Scroll
Implant rupture: What do I do?

Surgery Post-Pregnancy

Download
breastliftimplants guide

Breast Lift & Implants Guide

Download
Implant rupture: What do I do?

Breast Augmentation

Download
Implant rupture: What do I do?

Gynaecomastia Guide

Download
Implant rupture: What do I do?

Labiaplasty

Download
Implant rupture: What do I do?

Breast Reduction

Download
Implant rupture: What do I do?

Rhinoplasty

Download

Dr Pouria Moradi in the media

Along with my clinical focus, I am supervisor of Plastic Surgical training at POW Hospital and Royal Hospital for Women's, a member of the PRS curriculum taskforce which is responsible for creating and overseeing the training program for plastic surgical trainees in Australia and New Zealand and president of the NSW Chapter of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgery. Because of my extensive involvement in the surgical community, many media companies approach me for my opinion on trending industry topics.

See More

Join our newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
423 Bourke St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia

Get in touch

Call our friendly team to book a consultation with Dr Moradi, or to ask a question about one of our surgical procedures.

423 Bourke St Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia
02 80 698 974
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek the opinion of an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

© Copyright 2022. Surf Pacific

Biography Films