For a wide range of reasons, many women decide to have their breast implants removed. No matter what your circumstance may be, Dr. G can remove breast implants safely and skillfully.
Dr. G’s Approach to Breast Implant Removal
Dr. G typically prefers to perform a capsulectomy when performing explant surgery in Virginia Beach. This is primarily because half of all capsules left in place and not removed with the removal of the implants will remain indefinitely, sometimes allowing the development of chronic fluid collections or distortions of the breast.
Usually, a total capsulectomy is best, because this ensures that all of the capsule tissue is removed, leaving behind only healthy normal tissue to heal. Many people have discussed a procedure called “en bloc capsulectomy”, which refers to the removal of the implant and the associated capsule (the scar tissue that has formed around the implant) as one whole unit, without opening the capsule and exposing the implant. This is where the surgery gets its name. “En bloc” is French for “as a whole”.
An en bloc capsulectomy tends to be a little more complicated than a standard explant, and it requires a much larger scar than a standard total (or “complete”) capsulectomy. For these reasons, Dr. G usually discourages the use of an en bloc capsulectomy. There have been no studies to demonstrate any advantage of an en bloc capsulectomy in the absence of known cancer, yet there are the many disadvantages noted above.
Even in the case of a ruptured silicone gel-filled breast implant, whether known before surgery or discovered at the time of surgery, this can be managed very safely with standard capsulectomy techniques, fully removing all ruptured silicone and capsule and resulting in no increased chance of complications, all without the excessive scar length and invasive dissection required by an en bloc capsulectomy.
The one instance in which Dr. G will recommend an en bloc capsulectomy/explant procedure as an especially effective surgical method is for those with proven breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
In any case, with a thorough evaluation of your individual needs, Dr. G will be sure to take you step-by-step through all of your available options during your consultation.