Spontaneous Autoinflation and Deflation of Double-Lumen Breast Implants

Abstract

A rare late complication of textured, double-lumen breast implants developed 15 years after routine augmentation mammaplasty. The patient required secondary surgery for removal of the implants in both breasts because of their spontaneous autoinflation and deflation. Mammography showed autoexpansion of the right breast implant and deflation of left breast implant in the outer lumen without evidence of silicone leakage 15 years after implantation. The spherical shape of the right implant was filling with red-brown fluid. The deflated left implant had a thick capsule. Both implants were characterized during surgery and removed. Few reports have described spontaneous autoinflation of breast implants. Several causes of implant autoinflation have been proposed, such as valve defects, osmotic swelling, and inorganic salts produced by the texturization process or injection of saline with nonstandard salt concentrations. However, the exact mechanism remains unknown.