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Mr Morritt regularly undertakes breast implant replacement surgery. He performs the surgery at the Spire Claremont Hospital and Thornbury Private Hospital in Sheffield.
When are breast implants replaced?
Breast implant replacement is most frequently requested for the following reasons:
- When breast implants break or rupture
- Breast implants like any manufactured product have a finite lifespan and therefore do not last forever. When breast implants rupture this may cause breast pain, a change in breast shape or size, hardening of the breast, or lumps in the breasts or armpits.
- To change the size of breast implants
- This may be to increase the size of the breast implants
- Sometimes patients want to reduce the size of their implants. In this situation breast implant replacement is frequently combined with skin tightening (breast uplift or mastopexy)
- Breast implant scares
- Rarely, there have been breast implant scares such as with the PIP breast implants. Mr Morritt has never inserted PIP implants but has experience in removing PIP implants and replacing the implants with new implants from different manufacturers.
- Some patients do not want the increased risk of BIA-ALCL (cancer) associated with textured breast implants and request that the implants are changed to smooth breast implants.
- When breast implants have been in for a long time
- Some patients who are not having any problems with their breast implants request replacement of their breast implants for new ones. This is most frequently after the implants have been inserted for more than 10 years.
Breast implant replacement surgery
Mr Morritt performs breast implant replacement surgery under General anaesthetic (the patient is asleep). The old scar from when the breast implants were originally inserted is removed and widened slightly. The implants are then removed. If the capsule around the implant is thickened or hard (calcified), Mr Morritt removes some or all of it (partial or full capsulectomy). If the capsule around the implant is thin, then Mr Morritt only performs capsulotomies (internal releasing incisions which allow the breast to expand). If the old implants are found to be ruptured, any silicone that is visible in the chest is removed. The breast is then cleaned out with antiseptic solution (Betadine) and the new breast implants are inserted. This surgery usually require insertion of drain. The drain is usually taken out the day after surgery before patients go home.
Normally, the replacement of breast implants requires an increase in breast implant size to take up skin laxity. If patients do not want an increase in breast size, an uplift (skin tightening; mastopexy procedure) is often necessary.
Photos showing the appearance of breast implant capsule contracture which is one of the most common reasons for patients having their breast implants replaced. It is quite normal to develop layer of tissue around breast implants (this is called a capsule). With time this can thicken and tighten causing the implant/breast to narrow (causing a wider gap between the breasts), become firmer and more rounded, and ultimately become uncomfortable. Capsule contracture can be treated with implant replacement and removal of the breast implant capsule.
Breast implant replacement before and after photos
Case 1. Photos showing appearance before and after replacement of breast implants. My patient was unhappy with the appearance of her breasts 16 years after having breast augmentation with teardrop (anatomical) breast implants as the breasts lacked fullness, had a wide cleavage gap and lacked volume in the upper breast. She had also developed capsular contracture and the implants had become hard. The teardrop implants were replaced with larger round breast implants and breasts moved inward to give a better cleavage, more fullness and increased upper breast projection. Thanks to my patient for giving permission to show these images and for the amazing review.
Case 2. Photos showing appearances before and after breast implant revision surgery. This lady was unhappy with the appearance of her breasts having had breast implants a number of years previously by another surgeon. With time she had developed a waterfall deformity – where the skin/breast tissue droops over the implant. She also had visible implant ripples in the cleavage area and was unhappy with the wide gap between the breasts. The implants were replaced for larger, round textured silicone implants and a breast uplift tightened the skin, reduced the size of the areolae and lifted the nipples while still maintaining natural appearances. Thanks to my patient for giving permission to show these images.
Case 3. Photos showing appearances before and after replacement of breast implants, breast tissue reduction and breast uplift. This lady was unhappy with the drooping and heaviness of her breasts which had increased in size over the 20 years after her breast augmentation surgery. Her implants were replaced for smaller round silicone breast implants and during the same surgery the breast tissue was reduced in size, breast skin tightened and nipples lifted with a breast uplift procedure. The implant gives more upper breast fullness than would be present after a breast uplift/reduction. By reducing the amount of breast tissue in the lower part of the breast the chance of the patient developing a ‘waterfall deformity’ with time – where the breast tissue gradually droops over the implant is reduced. Thanks to my patient for allowing me to show the images from this complex breast surgery revision case.
Case 4. Photos showing the appearances before and after replacement of breast implants. This lady originally had 140cc Allergan teardrop implants but with time developed capsular contracture (breast hardening and pain), the implants had also rotated causing a distorted appearance. The silicone implants were removed and a full/total capsulectomy was performed. New Mentor 250cc moderate plus profile implants were inserted which have given a more natural appearance and improved the patient’s discomfort. Thanks to my patient for giving permission to show these images.
Risks of surgery
Breast implant replacement surgery usually goes well and complications are rare. The risks of surgery are very similar to the risks of breast augmentation surgery – click here to see these.
- Poor scar (thick, red, raised, painful, stretched)
- Bleeding (requiring a return to the operating theatre)
- Infection (requiring implant removal)
- Permanent numbness of nipples or breast skin
- Chronic pain
- Asymmetry of breast size, shape or nipple position
- Stretch marks
- Visible rippling
- Palpable implant
- Capsular contracture
- Breast implant rupture
- Can’t promise cup size or shape
- DVT/PE
- COVID
- Death
- Chronic seroma
- BIA-ALCL
- Breast implant sickness
- Limited lifespan of implant
- Drooping of breast/bottoming out
- Unhappiness with cosmetic outcome
Breast implant replacement reviews
Links – Breast implant catalogues
Allergan (Natrelle) breast implant warranty – click here
Allergan (Natrelle) breast implant catalogue – click here
PIP breast implant catalogue – click here
Mentor breast implant catalogue – click here
CUI breast implant catalogue – click here