Storm in a C Cup
A breast implant is a prosthesis used to change the size, shape, and contour of a woman’s breast. In reconstructive plastic surgery, breast implants can be placed to restore a natural looking breast or to correct deformities of the chest wall.
But sometimes this could turn into a nightmare if not done correctly. One such dreadful scenario was in the life of a 44 year old lady who had undergone breast augmentation in Thailand clinic at an attractive discounted rate. Four months post the surgery; she noticed her breasts becoming red, discolored and lumpy. As no topical creams were effective, she visited the Thailand clinic for a follow up and to her dismay, she found the clinic had shut down and the doctor had vanished.
Worried, she visited Wockhardt Hospital, South Mumbai for a checkup. On examination, the breast surgeon oncologist Dr Meghal Sanghvi found her breasts discolored and nodular. She was referred for a mammogram which revealed high-density masses scattered in both breasts.
Dr Meghal Sanghvi, Oncologist, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, says “ Interestingly, no implant/implant-rupture could be seen. Ultrasound showed a classic ‘snow storm appearance’ with multiple cysts and echogenic free silicone causing dense shadowing. This ‘snowstorm appearance’ is classical of free silicone causing mastopathy. The patient had been given silicone injections in the breast rather than implants which explained the discounted rates!”
This case is rare these days. Silicone injection for breast augmentation used to be performed in the 1950’s and 60’s. It has since been banned by the FDA due to adverse effects of silicone. However, its practice continues by some unscrupulous practitioners notably in some South Asian countries.
Dr. Bhagyam Nagarajan, Consultant Radiologist at Wockhardt Hospital, South Mumbai said,” Due to the dense shadowing from free silicone, mammography and ultrasound may miss small cancers in such cases. Thus MRI may be required as a problem-solving tool in some cases. It is impossible to remove all the free silicone piecemeal embedded in the breast parenchyma, hence this patient was offered bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy with breast reconstruction.”
* Dos & Don’ts to Get the Best Breast Augmentation Results
ü Do Choose Your Plastic Surgeon Carefully
ü Do Have a Plastic Surgery Consultation
ü Do Get to Know All Your Options- You have a choice of two different implants: silicone and saline
ü Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard During Recovery
ü Do Contact Your Plastic Surgeon If You Have Any Concerns
ü Don’t go for cheap surgeries (discounted), study the clinic and know everything before opting any clinic
ü Not all “plastic surgeons” are board certified and trustworthy
Thus always be careful and vast knowledge as much as possible, also look for various options and possibilities before opting for the surgery and never go for cheap rated surgery as it may cause you heavy price to pay post-surgery if something goes wrong.
