Saline Breast Implant Replacements

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’ve had saline breast implants for approximately 19 yrs. One has recently deflated. I am wanting to see what my options are as far as saline or silicone replacement.

A: You have gotten good use out of the original breast implants as most saline implants from twenty years ago did not last this long. The options for managing a saline breast implant deflation (saline breast implant replacements) are three fold. First you could just replace the deflated implant which would be the simplest and most economical option. But at nearly twenty years out the opposite breast implant is running on borrowed time and most people would be concerned that the other implant would deflate shortly after the replacement surgery. Thus most women are going to opt to replace both implants which could be either saline (option #2) or switch to silicone gel implants. (option #3) Whether one elects to stay the same size, go bigger or go smaller can be done with either saline or silicone implant replacements. There are arguments to be had for either choice but many women would choose silicone replacements so they would never have another implant deflation in their lifetime. A few women given the long-term success and lack of any problems until the deflation many opt to keep saline filled implants.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana