Breast Augmentation Complications

What can go wrong sometimes?

Breast augmentation has many benefits, but also has some potential complications to consider if you are looking into the surgery, according to Dr. Vasdev Rai in Dallas, Texas who uses the Trans-Umbilical Breast Augmentation (TUBA) method, the inframammary incision (in the crease of the breast), the periareolar incision, or the axillary (underarm) method.

According to Dr. Rai, possible complications are capsular contracture, hematoma, seroma, necrosis, and infection after the procedure has been performed.

Capsular Contracture: When a foreign object is placed in the body, whether it is an implant, pacemaker, or artificial joint, the body forms a lining around it called a capsule. This is to be expected and is normal. However, after the procedure the capsule can shrink substantially, putting pressure on the implant. This is referred to as capsular contracture, and it can make the implant feel hard because of the pressure being put on it, it can also distort the shape of the breast. Although there is no way to determine whether or not a capsule contracture will occur, there are ways to correct it through corrective procedures like closed capsulotomy, open capsulotomy, and open capsulectomy.

Hematoma: Hematoma is a collection of blood around the surgical site; seromas are accumulations of fluid around the implant. While your body can absorb smaller hematomas and seromas, larger ones may need to be surgically drained to allow proper healing.

Necrosis: Necrosis is the death of tissue around the implant. A sign of this occurring is the wound/incision opening up. Necrosis can require surgical repair of the area and/or removal of the implant so that scarring does not occur.

Infection: As with any surgery, infection can occur in this procedure. Infections usually make themselves known a few days or a few weeks after the surgery, and can be treated with antibiotics. Picture of a blonde in a white dress.

However, if the infection does not respond to antibiotics, the implant may have to be removed so the infection can be treated and healed; the implant can be replaced in another procedure once the infection has cleared.

Other Complications: Other, more aesthetic complications, that can arise are "bottoming out" and "symmastia." Bottoming out occurs when the implant descends too low in the chest, placing the nipple too high. Symmastia occurs when there is an over dissection of tissues in the cleavage area. Symmastia gives the impression of the breasts touching each other in the center. (Related: How to cure bottoming out?)

When choosing to have your breast augmentation procedure performed by a surgeon, you have many choices as to where you would like to have the incision made, and whether you would like to have the implants placed subglandular where the implant is placed in front of the muscle, or submuscular, where the implant is placed behind the muscle.