Understanding breast implants will allow you to understand why breast capsulectomy must be done. When a breast implant is performed on a patient, the body will wall it off and form a capsule that surrounds the implant. This capsule can vary in thickness from patient to patient. Patients with capsules that contain muscle cells have the ability to contract and misshape the breast altogether. This contraction is called a capsule contraction. It may cause pain, break, rupture, and deform the shape of the breast altogether. The removal of this capsule is done through breast capsulectomy surgery.
Capsular Contracture is the contraction or tightening of the capsule (tissue that forms around the breast implant). All implants and implanted devices create a tissue response where a capsule forms to envelope the implant.
Capsular contracture is not a normal occurrence and happens in about 1-5% of breast augmentation patients. The physiology of capsular contracture is the formation of collagen fibres created by an immune response to the foreign body (implant) which then contract around the breast implant. This leads to deformation of the implant and discomfort/pain. Capsular contracture is classified as follows: Read more
