What is Capsular Contracture?
Complications following breast surgery are rare but unfortunately can happen no matter how skillful the surgeon is. This is because patients’ bodies react differently to the surgery and in the healing process. Some patients can have scar tissue from surgery while others can show little scar tissue. This is the case with capsular contracture.
Following breast implant surgery scar tissue forms a “capsule” around the breast implant. This is a normal immune reaction when the human body tries to isolate the implant from the rest of the body by forming scar tissue. This process is normal and helps to keep the breast implant in place.
What happens in Capsular Contracture?
Capsular contracture occurs when the scar tissue begins to contract and harden around the implant. This process can lead to aesthetic problems and pain in the breasts.
How Can Capsular Contracture Be Prevented?
There are some steps you can take both before and after surgery to have a healthy recovery from breast surgery and prevent capsular contracture.
Stop smoking before your surgery. Smoking can increase your risk of developing both capsular contraction and infection. Reduce your activity level after surgery to prevent injury to the breast implant, such as certain activities or sports that may require jostling, hitting, or shaking the breasts. Discuss with your surgeon about any specific activities you want to take part in. Follow your surgeon’s post-operative care instructions closely.
Additionally, a few studies suggest that delaying a breast implant until after radiation treatments are completed can prevent capsular contracture and infection.
Can Capsular Contracture Be Treated?
There are both surgical and non-surgical treatments depending on the severity of the capsular contracture. Surgical treatments can include a capsulectomy which removes the hardened capsule. The implant may also be removed and replaced. A capsulotomy loosens the scar tissue allowing it to expand. Finally, fat grafting may relieve the pain from the contracture.
Preventing and treating capsular contracture depends on the partnership between you and your surgeon. Talk with your surgeon about ways to prevent and reduce the incident of capsular contracture.
The following doctors perform Breast Surgery at Atlanta Plastic Surgery, PC. Click on a doctor to learn more about their practice and to view Before & After breast augmentation surgery photographs.
Breast Surgery can be scheduled at one of our Atlanta Plastic Surgery, PC locations in Atlanta, Cumming / Forsyth, Northside, and Canton/Cherokee.