Abstract
A 58-year-old woman had silicone breast implants (SBIs) placed under the pectoralis major muscles for breast augmentation about 25 years earlier. She now felt a mass in her left breast, and after further evaluation, she was diagnosed with left-breast cancer (cT2N0M0, Stage IIA). Since preoperative ultrasound and MRI showed SBI degradation, the SBI was removed together with the breast + sentinel node, and a tissue expander was inserted for primary two-stage reconstruction. There was marked silicone gel bleeding from the SBI, with gel adhered to the surrounding tissues, but there was no other damage, infection, or foreign-body granulomas.
SBIs often deteriorate over many years, but many patients who have breast augmentation are not followed-up regularly. In addition, since SBIs are covered by insurance for breast reconstruction, the number of patients with SBIs who are seen on an outpatient basis is increasing. Therefore, patients with SBIs should undergo appropriate imaging studies, and if there are abnormal findings, they should be referred to a plastic and reconstructive surgeon for removal and other appropriate care.
