Conditions we diagnose
Breast Implant Rupture
Ruptured breast implants are more common in older implants, but an implant rupture can occur at any time. Common symptoms include a change in breast size or shape, hardness around your implant, redness of the skin and lumps under the arm. Sometimes implants can rupture silently – without causing any symptoms, hence the need for regular checks.
Learn more about Breast Implant Ruptures
Breast Implant Infection
Breast implants are a foreign material, and any foreign material placed in the body can become infected. Infection can be mild with the breast feeling hot and tender, to severe with infective discharge from the wound making you feel tired and unwell.
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Capsular contracture
All women with breast implants develop a thin layer of scar tissue over the surface of the implant, known as a capsule. If the capsule becomes abnormally thickened, we call this capsular contracture or encapsulation. Common symptoms include a feeling of tightness around your implant, changes in your breast shape and pain or discomfort in your breast.
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Implant malposition
Abnormal implant positioning (or malposition) can happen soon after surgery or at a later time, and there can be several types of malposition. Implant rotation is normally more obvious and problematic with teardrop-shaped (anatomical) implants. Severe rotation, or a flipped implant, can result in a sudden change in breast shape. Implants can also fall to the side of the breast (lateral slip) or sit below the breast (bottoming out). These problems are more common with smooth surface implants.
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Breast Seroma (fluid around your implant)
Fluid can collect around your implant as a result of silicone leakage from the implant, low-grade infection or implant rupture. Rarely, it may be due to breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) – a cancer of the immune system that arises within implant capsules. Common symptoms include an increase in breast size.
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BIA-ALCL
Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is an extremely rare blood cancer (lymphoma) that arises in the capsule of breast implants. BIA-ALCL is thought to occur, on average, 8-10 years after implant insertion. Common symptoms include a collection of fluid around your breast implant (seroma or effusion) or a lump that you can feel.
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Breast Implant Illness
Breast implant illness (BII) is a term used to describe a collection of symptoms experienced by patients, which are attributed to their implants. This can include hair loss, joint/muscle pain, skin changes, fatigue and memory problems.