Is silicone gel-filled breast implant rupture obvious, or easily detected?
When a saline implant ruptures, the saline absorbed within a matter of days. When a silicone breast implant ruptures, the silicone is not absorbed. It remains within the capsule. The shape of the breast may change, but the difference is often undetected in the majority of cases, by patient and by surgeon, and the diagnosis must be established via MRI. If rupture is detected, the breast implant should be removed. In the Allergan Core Study, primary silicone breast augmentation patients who were screened by MRI had a rupture rate of 2.7%, and silicone breast implant revision-augmentation patients had a rupture rate of 4% over 4 years. A European study found a rupture rate of 11% over 15 years. In either study there were no instances of gel migration. There are currently large Allergan post-approval studies being conducted for further safety data. In the Mentor Core Study, primary silicone breast augmentation patients who were screened by MRI had a rupture rate of .5%, and silicone breast
