Study Suggests New Saline Breast Implant Design May Reduce Breast Surgery Complications
The term lumen may conjure images of cellular diagrams from college biology, but according to a study published in the September issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, a new double lumen saline breast implant design may be the key to reducing the risk of breast surgery complications like capsular contracture or rippling sometimes associated with breast augmentation.
By definition, a lumen refers to a hollow area within the middle of a tubular structure or organ. This new double lumen breast implant features a series of silicone elastomer shells (nested within each other) filled with sterile saline solution. The theory with the new design is that the multiple shell layers can better control the way the saline solution shifts to prevent rippling of breast implants or irregular textures underneath the skin after implantation.
The new design, known currently as the IDEAL Implant, is undergoing a 10-year study of its safety and effectiveness before being introduced for consumer use; however, initial findings reported in the article boast satisfaction rates over 90% for the breast augmentation and breast revision surgery patients who received the new implant type during the initial study as well as satisfaction rates over 93% from the surgeons who used the new breast implant technology. Most noteable at this point in time was the technology’s lower rate of implant wrinkling (3.8% of primary augmentations and 12% of revision patients) and incidence of capsular contracture or (3.8% of primary augmentations and 8.2% or revisionary breast surgery).
While the latest plastic surgery technology is exciting, Dr. LeRoy urges all of his breast augmentation patients to thoroughly research all of their available implant options as well as discuss their cosmetic goals during a plastic surgery consultation to insure they obtain the best breast augmentation results possible. For the latest breast implant technology news make sure to continue reading Dr. LeRoy’s blog and connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.