A ^Retired Plastic Surgeon's Notebook

En Bloc Resection of Breast Implants and Capsules

I get a lot of requests from breast implant illness patients to do an en bloc resection of their implants and the surrounding implant capsule.  The term en bloc refers to a procedure that removes the structure in question in one piece or all together.  This term is used most commonly in cancer surgery where a tumor is removed in its entirety without actually cutting into the tumor itself.  Except in cases of BIA-ALCL, implant capsules are not cancer.

The photo below shows an en bloc resection of two ruptured breast implants and the surrounding capsule.  In cases like this, doing an en bloc makes a lot of sense in that it prevents any spillage of silicone and makes for a much cleaner explant.  Fortunately it is cases like this where an en bloc is usually doable.  The thick, nasty and calcified capsule often just peels away from the adjacent breast tissue, muscle and chest wall without causing any collateral damage.  Doing a clean and slick case like this is what surgeons live for and believe me, I wish every explant would go just like this!

But……….it is not always possible to do an en bloc resection.   Sometimes the capsule is very, very thin and fragile (sort of like a wet Kleenex) and it is not possible remove it unbroken.  Sometimes the capsule is very adherent to adjacent structures such as breast tissue, ribs and chest muscle.  It is just not worth the damage to those normal structures to get an en bloc resection.  Sometimes, with implants under the muscle, the patient is at risk for a collapsed lung when trying to peel a very adherent capsule from the rib cage. In cases like this, the capsule can be removed with curettage.  And sometimes, with really large implants or those put in though the axilla (arm pit), the upper part of the capsule cannot be visualized with the implant in the way.  And if I cannot see it, I will not cut it.  In those cases, I remove the implant and then am able to safely remove the capsule.  I am very careful about minimizing or, in most cases, eliminating spillage of any leaking gel.bessss

 

I am aware that the breast implant illness community is obsessed with en bloc capsulectomy.  I’m not sure why because for clean, intact implants, there is no compelling reason to do an en bloc, except maybe to show off and promote oneself, and yes, I am guilty of that!   Many patients are lead to believe that there is some sort of evil humor or miasma that exists in the space between the intact and clean implant and capsule.  The space (which is actually what we call a potential space because it contains nothing) contains nothing!

It is really easy to pontificate for a potentially dangerous procedure when one has zero responsibility for any downside.  Who is responsible for harm to the patient – the surgeon holding the sharp instruments or the social media pundit?

And I am also aware that there are surgeons out there who guarantee an en bloc, every implant, every time.  I honesty don’t know how they can.  I also provide a guarantee… I’ll do my best.

Thanks for reading!  Dr. Lisa Lynn Sowder

I would be honored if you followed me on Instagram @sowdermd and @breastimplantsanity.

 

Category: Breast Implant Illness, Breast Implant Removal, Breast Implants, Patient Safety, Plastic Surgery | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

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