Breast capsular contracture, its causes, symptoms, and treatment

What is breast capsular contracture?

Breast capsular contracture is a complication of breast implant surgery, and it is characterized by the formation of unusually dense and hard capsule formation around the implant, tightening and squeezing the implant causing pain and change in the shape of breasts. Everyone’s immune system works and responds in a different and unique way, and some people’s immune systems react poorly to implants resulting in the formation of breast capsular contracture.

Sign and symptoms of breast capsular contracture

Complications in augmentation mammoplasty Lahore are fairly rare, but they can occur from time to time. Breast capsular contracture develops slowly and gradually over time and is difficult to detect, especially if the person does not have any knowledge of it. Following are some signs and symptoms of breast capsular contracture

  • Breast pain
  • Firmness
  • Asymmetry
  • Tightness
  • High-riding breasts
  • Misshapen breasts
  • Round or ball-shaped breasts
  • Restricted range of motion
  • Changes in the shape of breasts

What are the causes of breast capsular contracture?

The formation of the capsule is a normal part of the healing process; in fact, it helps the implant to stay in place; the problem occurs when this capsule becomes too hard or tight. Many factors can be responsible for causing breast capsular contracture after augmentation mammoplasty Lahore, including;

  • Low-grade bacterial infection
  • Hematoma
  • Seroma
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Breast trauma
  • Radiation therapy
  • Certain autoimmune disorders
  • Surgical errors
  • Overly large implants
  • Rupture of silicone implant
  • Bad luck
  • Implant placed on top of the muscle

Treatment for breast capsular contracture

It is an easily treatable condition, and in order to remove breast capsular contracture, a capsulectomy is performed, and both the old breast implant and scar tissue are removed; the breast implant can be replaced by a new implant, it depends upon whatever patient decides. Many women choose to add a new implant, and some patients go for other options like a breast lift or fat grafting to restore the breast shape after the removal of the implant.

Minimizing the risk of breast implant complication

Although there is no sure way of knowing before and preventing the complications however the risk of developing the breast capsular contracture can be minimized by choosing a qualified, competent and skilled, and board-certified plastic surgeon to perform augmentation mammoplasty Lahore. An experienced plastic surgeon can navigate the patient in the right direction and knows ways to reduce the possibilities of complications by keeping in mind the specifics of the individual patient.