Breast Implant Displacement

Breast Implant Malposition

Your breast implant may slide from its original and desired position right after your surgery or gradually after surgery. The implant displacement can be more noticeable if you are lying on your back.

Breast Implant Malposition Classified by its Movement Direction:

1. The implant can move outward and/or even fall into your armpits, known as lateral displacement.
2. The implant can also shift toward each other, known as medial displacement, symmastia, or uni-boob.
3. It can also move downward, known as bottoming out or double bubble.
4. The implant can also move upwards as a result of capsular contracture.

Your implant slippage may be caused by:

• Gravity
• Implant size – Breast implants larger than 500 CC has more of a tendency to shift around. Also, Saline implants weigh more than silicone breast implants and are more likely to be displaced.
• The pocket – If the pocket is too large, the implant will shift around.
• Poor healing
• Capsular contracture – If capsule around the implant shrinks, squeezes the implant.
• Surgeon’s error – Placement of the implant can cause the moving around.

When an implant is inserted into the breast, the body forms a protective lining around it referred to as the “capsule” or “tissue capsule.”

You can avoid breast implant displacement by using smaller size implants and wear an appropriate bra.

The surgeon creates a pocket by separating the tissue and/or muscle (depending on placement) to place the implant.

If the implant displacement is slight no treatment is required. Otherwise, revision surgery may be needed to correct the position of the implant, such as making the pocket smaller or using tissue substitutes to reinforce the capsule (Capsulorrhaphy).

See also Botched Plastic Surgeries