Q. My silicone gel breast implant may be leaking. How do I find out if it is leaking, and what should I do if it is?

A. We're not doctors and we don't provide medical advice, but I can tell you what we know based on research and from speaking with many experts and with women who have had breast implants.

The best way to tell if a silicone breast implant has ruptured or is leaking is to have an MRI with a breast coil. Unfortunately MRIs are expensive, but necessary because a mammogram can not accurately detect a rupture or leak. And, the squeezing from a mammogram can cause a broken implant to leak. A sonogram can be useful but only if the radiologist is specially trained to detect implant ruptures and leaks -- and very few are. That's why an MRI is the best strategy, although that also needs to be read by someone who has experience looking for a rupture or leak in a silicone breast implant.

FDA scientists found that by the time women have implants for at least 10 years, at least one of them has usually ruptured. However, implants often break sooner, sometimes even within the first year. For women with saline breast implants, a broken implant is obvious because it usually deflates quickly. However, when silicone gel breast implants break, there are often no symptoms at all for a year or more. Years later, there are several symptoms that many women report: the breast changes shape or gets smaller, lumps or bumps may appear on the breast or nearby, some women complain of a burning pain, and some women experience symptoms of autoimmune disease, such as joint pain, memory loss, confusion, or chronic fatigue.

Many plastic surgeons believe that silicone is "perfectly safe." However, experts who have read the research agree that a ruptured silicone gel breast implant should be removed as soon as possible, especially if it is leaking. The MRI can help the plastic surgeon know where the problem areas are so he or she can avoid leakage during removal. Removing broken implants soon means there is less chance that the silicone will leak outside the scar tissue that surrounds the implant. It is important to have the procedure performed by a plastic surgeon who is very experienced in removing leaking silicone implants. Old or broken silicone gel breast implants should be removed "en bloc." This means that the entire implant and the entire scar tissue capsule surrounding it are all removed together. This makes it easier to remove any silicone that may have leaked from the broken gel implant and also helps remove silicone or other chemicals that may have seeped out from the silicone envelope into the scar capsule.

A study conducted by Dr Noreen Aziz from the National Cancer Institute and Dr Frank Vasey from University of South Florida found that most women who had rheumatological symptoms (such as joint pain) felt significantly better after getting their breast implants removed and not replaced. Those who didn’t get their implants removed usually got worse. Those who had them removed and replaced (with silicone implants or saline) implants did not get better.

For examples of women who had less pain and other symptoms after their implants were removed, see the personal stories on our website at http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/per_stories.html. You also might want to check out www.explantation.com to hear from women who have had their implants removed and not replaced. Many felt healthier, happier, and more attractive afterwards.

We hope this information is helpful. Check our website for more information, or feel free to write to us.


The comments and statements of the National Research Center for Women & Families are believed and intended to be accurate, and where applicable, based on scientific literature. NRC's statements do not constitute medical diagnoses, medical advice, plans of treatment, or legal opinion, and we are not responsible for the use or application of this information. All medical information should be reviewed with your health care practitioner.

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