Breast Implant Surgery Risks

The most common early complications of breast augmentation surgery are hematoma, infection, and displacement of the implant, while the later stage is mainly periosteal contracture, which manifests itself as a very hard feeling of the breasts, and in serious cases, leads to deformation of the breasts or even pain. The periosteum is a kind of membranous tissue formed around the implant after implantation, which appears as a natural reaction to the foreign body and plays an important role in isolating the implant from the surrounding tissues. The thickness and elasticity of the peritoneum is crucial to the feel of breast augmentation surgery. In most people, the peritoneum itself is very thin, and the compression of the implant is not obvious, so the feel of the breasts is better, but there is a portion of people who have overreacted to the implant, and the peritoneum is thicker and shrinks severely, pressing the implant to harden and form a contracture of the peritoneum. The determining factor for the occurrence of contracture is the difference in the body’s reaction to the implant. The exact cause and mechanism of the occurrence are still unknown, mainly due to the body’s immune reaction to the implanted biomaterials. Therefore, it is not possible to predict or prevent the occurrence of periosteal contracture. Strictly speaking, contracture is not a complication, but a risk that every patient undergoing breast augmentation must face. However, the incidence of contracture is not high, around 5%, and the only potentially effective solution to the occurrence of contracture is reoperation. In some patients, even after all the triggers have been eliminated, contracture inevitably occurs and the implants must be surgically removed.