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breast augmentation

• Who benefits
• Results: the critical factor
• Before & after images
• What our patients say
• Learn about the surgery
• Planning your surgery
• Implants: what you need to know
• One-on-one with Dr. Ratliff
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• Surgical risks

surgical risks

Breast augmentation surgery has been performed safely for more than 30 years, and each year, thousands of women undergo the procedure, experiencing only minor complications. However, it is important to understand that with any surgery, there are risks. Dr. Ratliff will carefully review these risks with you prior to your surgery. You should not hesitate to raise any questions or concerns that you may have. Your health and satisfaction with the procedure are our greatest concerns.

Risks Associated with Implants
It is important to understand that although problems arising from breast enhancement surgery are not common, problems may occur. The most common problem is capsular contracture, a condition where the scar or capsule around the implant begins to tighten, causing the breast to feel hard. Capsular contracture can be treated in several ways, and sometimes requires either removal or "scoring" of the scar tissue, or removal or replacement of the implant.

Occasionally, breast implants may break or begin leaking. A rupture can occur as a result of injury or even from the normal compression and movement of your breast and implant, causing the man-made shell to leak. If a saline-filled implant breaks, the implant will deflate in a few hours and the salt water will be harmlessly absorbed by the body. If a break occurs in a gel-filled implant, however, one of two things may occur. If the shell breaks, but the scar capsule around and the implant does not, you may not detect any change. If the scar capsule also breaks or tears, especially following extreme pressure, silicone gel may move into surrounding tissue. The gel may collect in the breast and cause a new scar to form around it, or it may migrate to another area of the body. You might also notice a change in the shape or firmness of the breast. Dr. Ratliff can provide detailed information on the risk of implant leakage. You may also want to visit breastimplantsafety.org, which offers objective and science-based information on breast implant options.

Dr. Ratliff can advise you whether or not specific placement of the implant can affect mammography. After you have received the implant, it is important to find a radiology center for your routine mammograms where technicians are experienced in obtaining an x-ray of a breast with an implant. Also be sure to mention your implants to the technician each time you receive a mammogram. Depending on your individual circumstances, an ultrasound examination may be of some benefit if traditional x-ray exams are inconclusive. Dr. Ratliff recommends a baseline mammogram for women over the age of 40 before breast augmentation surgery to assist in detecting any future changes in your breast tissue.

Other possible risks with breast enhancement surgery include oversensitivity, undersensitivity, and/or numbness of the nipples. There may also be small patches of numbness near your incisions. These symptoms usually fade or disappear with time, but may be permanent in some patients.

There is no evidence that breast implants will affect fertility, pregnancy, or your ability to nurse, but it is impossible to rule out the procedure's possible effects on nursing, particularly when incisions are placed around the areolae. Also, if you have nursed a baby within the year before your augmentation procedure, you may produce milk for a few days after surgery. This may cause some discomfort, but can be treated with medication prescribed by Dr. Ratliff.

Finally, a few women with breast implants have reported symptoms that include joint pain or swelling, fever, fatigue, or breast pain. Research has found no clear link between silicone breast implants and the symptoms referred to as "connective-tissue disorders," but the FDA has requested further study.

While the majority of women do not experience these complications, you should discuss each of them with Dr. Ratliff to make sure you understand the risks associated with breast augmentation using implants.