12/08/2023
WHAT IS CAPSULAR CONTRACTURE?
Capsular contracture is the term that describes hardening of the scar tissue or scar capsule around a breast implant. There are 4 grades, with the fourth being the worst. This patient came to me wanting better symmetry and softer implants. She had grade 4 capsular contracture on her right side and grade 3 on her left side. We removed her old saline implants as well as the capsules around them and placed new 230 cc silicone implants. We also did a breast lift at the same time. Her result is a much more natural looking, softer breast, and less skin and improved ni**le/ar**la position due to the lift. Her scars will fade further as she is only four months out from surgery.
Patients often ask me if removal of the capsule around their implants is absolutely necessary. This really depends on the scenario. If a patient is experiencing breast implant illness symptoms or inflammatory issues, then I would usually recommend removal of the scar capsule that surrounds the breast implant. In this case we removed the capsule not because of any systemic inflammatory symptoms, but because it was firm and calcified. Leaving the capsule in place it would have led to a continued deformed appearance of the breast and potential risk of rupture to the new implant, as the calcified capsule has very sharp edges.
