Seroma as a Late Complication after Breast Augmentation

Aesth Plast Surg (2011) 35:303314 DOI 10.1007/s00266-010-9607-6

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Seroma as a Late Complication after Breast Augmentation

Vasyl Pinchuk Oleg Tymoi

Received: 10 April 2010 / Accepted: 6 July 2010 / Published online: 17 October 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2010

Abstract This report with late seromas occurring in the periprosthetic cavity. This complication is a rare development after breast augmentation. From 1996 to 2009, the authors performed 568 initial breast augmentation procedures. During this period, they observed late seromas in six cases. In ve of the six cases, the initial operations were performed by the authors (0.88% of all breast augmentation operations performed at the authors center during the respective period). In one case, the operation had been performed in another clinic. Late seromas occurred at various intervals 2 to 10 years after the initial breast augmentation. In ve of the six reported cases, revision surgery was required. In one case, conservative treatment was applied. An implant rupture was observed in only one case. In the remaining ve cases, the implants were intact. In the authors opinion, seromas may occur when any sliding surfaces are present and as a result of micromotion of implants in cavities. The inner surface of a capsule with a synovial metaplasia becomes a target for chronic infections.

Keywords Breast augmentation Breast implants

Capsular contracture Implant rupture Late seroma

As breast augmentation with silicone implants becomes increasingly popular, we observe a larger number of very

rare complications directly related to the presence of a foreign object (i.e, a silicone implant) in the body. A seroma in the periprosthetic cavity occurring with a substantial delay after the initial surgery is one such rare complication.

Several cases of late seroma development are described in the literature [9, 10, 14]. To date, the reasons for the development of late seromas (the so-called breast autoination) have not been studied sufciently. Possible etio-logic factors include a chronic infection, an allergic reaction, a hormonal imbalance, lymphorrhea (exudation) from the damaged surface of the connective tissue capsule, and implant rupture.

Patients and Methods

During 19962009, we performed 568 breast augmentation procedures. Of the 568 operations, 306 were performed with retropectoral (partially subpectoral or fully submuscular) implant placement, and 262...