Silicone explant: the importance of breast magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative planning

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Recent concerns about the safety of silicone implants have led many women to seek the removal of their implants, even without apparent breast complications. On the other hand, many surgeons do not feel comfortable performing the explant for fear that the patient will not like the aesthetic result after surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable resource for diagnostic evaluation of the breast and can be used in explant planning. The objective is to demonstrate how the systematic analysis of breast MRI images can assist in planning silicone explantation. Method: A detailed analysis of the axial and sagittal MRI sections was performed to assess the amount of tissue in each breast. These images were presented to patients during the preoperative consultation so that they could clearly understand how much the implant influences the size of their breasts. At the same time, post-operative photos of patients with similar characteristics were presented so that the patient could analyze, more objectively, whether or not she would be satisfied with the aesthetics of her breasts after explantation. Results: The patients demonstrated a high degree of understanding of the images presented and were satisfied with this detailed analysis of expected results. Conclusion: The comparison of breast MRI images and postoperative results images provides greater objectivity to the preoperative dialogue, favoring the understanding of the expected result and bringing greater clarity to the decision for explantation.

Keywords:
Breast implants; Breast diseases; Preoperative care; Magnetic resonance imaging; Silicone elastomers