What type of implants will be used?
All implants regardless of whether they are saline or silicone filled, still have their external shell made of silicone. The preferred implants especially in the light of the report confirming the safety of silicone implants, are those containing silicone. Silicone implants are of two types, • Where the silicone exists in the form of a gel that oozes when the implants ruptures or is cut.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeons and their patients work together to decide between Saline and Silicone Gel Breast Implants. Patient age, desired incision type and other factors help inform surgeons and patients which type of implant is best in a particular situation. The outer shell of both Silicone and saline implants are made of solid Silicone material. This same material is widely used in a variety of medical devices, and is the same in both implants. Saline filled implants are filled with the same kind of salt water that is used in IV fluids. Saline implants can be inserted prior to inflation with the saline fluid. Silicone Gel implants are filled with Silicone Gel, which is a semi-solid. Silicone Gel has a texture similar to that of breast tissue. Silicone implants may require a larger incision than Saline implants as Silicone implants can not be inserted in a deflated state as Saline implants can. The availability of Silicone Gel Implants offers new options for women considering
Approximately 300,000 women in the United States underwent breast augmentation in 2005. Each woman has her own personal reasons for considering breast augmentation surgery. For some, they desire fuller breasts with a more pronounced profile. For others, it may be to improve the shape of the breast due to the gradual changes to the body that come with childbirth or the effects of age and gravity. The availability of both saline-filled implants, which consist of a silicone shell filled with sterile saltwater, and silicone gel-filled breast implants creates new options for women considering breast enhancement surgery. All women over 22 years old seeking cosmetic breast augmentation surgery have the option of selecting FDA-approved silicone breast implants. • Advantages of Silicone Implants Many surgeons and patients with breast implants have the opinion that silicone implants have a more natural look and feel than saline implants due to the fact that silicone gel has a texture similar to
Dr. Metzinger uses both saline and silicone gel breast implants. On April 10, 1991, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked breast implant manufacturers to submit evidence in a premarket approval (PMA) application that silicone gel-filled breast implants were safe and effective. However, the manufacturers were unable to provide the FDA with this information. Without enough data on safety and effectiveness, the FDA determined that silicone gel-filled breast implants could not be approved for use in the United States. Therefore, silicone gel-filled breast implants were removed from the open market. In January 8, 2003, the FDA released this statement “Although an FDA advisory panel recommended market approval of Inamed’s silicone gel-filled breast implants in October, rather than accepting that panel’s advice, last night the FDA deferred a decision on Inamed’s implant, pending submission of additional information. Today, the agency also issued a new Guidance Document expanding the da
