COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO RETAINED BREAST IMPLANT CAPSULES

Citing evidence that breast implant-related capsules resolve uneventfu lly, surgeons have elected to leave the capsules in place when implant s are removed because capsulectomy adds both morbidity and expense to the procedure. However, recent clinical and histopathologic evidence s uggests that uneventful resolution is not always the case, and several potential problems may arise from retained capsules after removal of the implant. Retained implant capsules may result in a spiculated mass suspicious for carcinoma, dense calcifications that obscure neighbori ng breast tissue on subsequent imaging studies, and cystic masses due to persistent serous effusion, expansile hematoma, or encapsulated sil icone filled cysts. Further-more, retained capsules are a reservoir of implant-related foreign material in the case of silicone gel-filled i mplants and textured implants promoting tissue ingrowth. To avoid comp lications from retained capsules, total capsulectomy or postoperative surveillance should be offered to patients.