Breast Implant Capsular Contracture

Q: Dr. Eppley, I did breast implant replacement and capsular contracture surgery over one year ago. I am feeling lumps and some hardness in the same breast. Is it possible the capsulation is returning? Is there a treatment or something I can do to stop it from continuing?

A: Capsular contracture is a difficult problem which is not well understood nor are there are procedures that can alway produce a 100% cure of it. Usually once a capsular contracture is released any return of it typically takes place 3 to 6 months after surgery. But it is possible that it could return any time even decades later…although this is not typical.

There are no known medications or other non-surgical treatments that have proven to provide a definitive solution for capsular contracture….surgery is the only proven method to treat and release it. Massage and other external manipulations (e.g., deep ultrasound) can be helpful but have to be done regularly and have only moderate improvements in breast softening.

Once a breast had had capsular contracture it rarely will ever feel quite as soft as the breast that has never had it. As long as it is not painful, has not distorted the breast and does not appear to be progressing then doing nothing for now would be the best course of action.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana