| Deciding what breast implant to select can be | | | | decrease in volume. |
| difficult, especially when you know that this material | | | | Back in the early 1990's, many thought that silicone |
| will become a part of your body for many years to | | | | breast implants brought about connective tissue |
| come. It is always best to make an informed choice. | | | | diseases in some patients. After the evidence |
| Saline Implants | | | | underwent a complete examination for the |
| If saline implants are used, your physician will inflate a | | | | Association of Silicon Breast Implants, the Institute of |
| silicone rubber shell to the volume that you desire. | | | | Medicine stated that "no definitive evidence linking |
| These implants are filled with sterile saline solution. | | | | breast implants to cancer, neurological diseases, |
| Most implants have a small valve that the surgeon | | | | neurological problems or other systemic diseases" is |
| closes up once the implants are placed. | | | | present. |
| Two forms of saline implants are readily accessible to | | | | Advantages of Each Implant Type |
| patients. One is called a fixed volume implant. A fixed | | | | Deciding on an implant type can even be a bit |
| volume implant is has all of the saline in it when it is | | | | subjective. A few surgeons believe that silicone |
| implanted. The other implant type can have its | | | | implants feel and look more natural than saline |
| volume adjusted. This means that this adjustable | | | | implants because silicone gel is closer in texture to |
| implant can be filled intraoperatively, and its contents | | | | human tissue. Saline implants have some other key |
| can even be adjusted after surgery. | | | | benefits. If a silicone implant ruptures, doctors have a |
| Silicone Implants | | | | hard time locating these ruptured areas. But if saline |
| Silicone implants are made up of a silicone rubber shell | | | | implants rupture, the implant immediately deflates. |
| that contains a fixed silicone gel amount. A patch is | | | | Deceptively, if silicone implants rupture, no change |
| over the top of each implant’s manufacturing | | | | appears in the breast—even as silicone is leaking |
| port. | | | | into tissue. It is also important to note that silicone |
| Silicone implants are made with either smooth or | | | | implant replacement is more expensive than repairs |
| textured surfaces; their profiles, shapes, volume, | | | | to a leaky saline implant. In addition, silicone implants |
| thickness and amount of shell lumens also differ. Most | | | | deflate at a higher rate. |
| silicone gel-filled implants are unable to increase or | | | | |