Silicone breast implants: What happens if they rupture?

If a silicone breast implant ruptures, what possible health problems could it cause?

Answer From Christin Harless, M.D.

A ruptured silicone breast implant is one that has a tear or hole in it. Often there are no symptoms when an implant ruptures. But sometimes it may lead to breast pain or changes in the shape of the breast. It’s not thought to cause breast cancer, reproductive problems or connective tissue disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

You might not notice when a silicone breast implant tears or develops a hole. That’s because silicone that leaks out of an implant tends to stay trapped within the tissue nearby. This is called a silent rupture. Silent ruptures don’t cause symptoms. They’re often found during an ultrasound or MRI that’s done for another reason.

When silicone leaks from an implant, the tissue around the implant sometimes can become irritated. Additional scar tissue also might form. That could lead to problems in the breast, including:

• Changes in size or shape.
• Lumps.
• Hardening, which also is called capsular contracture.
• Pain, soreness, swelling or numbness.
• Changes in feeling in the breast.

If you have silicone breast implants and you think that an implant might be leaking, contact your plastic surgeon. An imaging test, such as an MRI or ultrasound, can show whether the implant is damaged.

If tests show that you have a silent rupture, your plastic surgeon can talk to you about treatment options. Specialists generally recommend removing a leaking breast implant for people who are healthy enough to have surgery. That’s true even if there are no symptoms.

If a ruptured silicone implant causes symptoms, it needs to be removed. If you want a new implant, that typically can be placed during the same surgery. If you choose not to have another breast implant, you might want to have surgery to reshape your breast after the implant is removed.

Keep in mind that breast implants aren’t guaranteed to last a lifetime. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends breast imaging beginning 5 to 6 years after an implant is placed, and then every few years after that. The purpose of these exams is to make sure that implants aren’t damaged. The longer an implant is in place, the more likely it is to rupture.

Also, continue to have yearly clinical breast exams with your healthcare professional. If you see changes to a breast implant, talk to your plastic surgeon about next steps.