Breast Enlargement Surgery Risks

It is important before any type of breast enlargement procedure that you fully understand the potential risks following the procedure. Breast enlargements, in common with all surgical operations, do inherently have some risks associated with them.

Have you got a copy of our free CD?

The risks of breast enlargement procedures are fully discussed in our breast enlargement CD which you can obtain for free through submitting an enquiry form or emailing us on info@aurora-clinics.co.uk.

Why Aurora is the low risk option

We perform over 500 breast augmentations a year at Aurora Clinics and, in the last ten years, have had no significant problem with any patient following a breast enlargement procedure.  Although the risks are slight, it is important that you are in good health and have no heart or lung problems prior to your surgery. 

Are you concerned a medical condition might stop you getting breast enlargement surgery?

If you do suffer from any medical conditions we will thoroughly assess you with heart tracings and chest investigations prior to your operation.  On the very rare occasions where we feel that there is a significant risk associated with your breast enlargement surgery, we may advise you that this type of procedure may not be appropriate for you.

Did you know there were two sets of risks?

The risks following breast enlargement surgery can be divided into the general risks of any operation and the risks associated particularly with breast enlargement surgery. 

General risks

• deep vein thrombosis
• pulmonary embolism
• reactions to the anaesthetic
• allergies to some of the drugs used during the surgery

Most of the patients who have breast enlargement surgery are very fit and healthy and at Aurora Clinics we only use extremely experienced consultant anaesthetists with whom we have worked for many years.

There are a number of risks associated specifically with breast enlargement surgery.

Breast enlargement specific risks

Internal bleeding:

The earliest complication that some people can experience following breast enlargement surgery is bleeding internally.  This happens when a blood vessel, which has been divided to make space for your implant, opens up and bleeds into the pocket surrounding your implant.  If this does occur your breast will become painful and obviously swollen towards your armpit region.

This bleeding following a breast enlargement surgery normally occurs within the first 24 hours and, if it does occur, your surgeon will need to take you back to the operating theatre, seal the blood vessel and clear out the blood clot.  Bleeding following a breast enlargement surgery is extremely unfortunate but does not carry any long term problems associated with it.

Infection:

Infection following breast enlargement surgery can occur and, again, this should be very rare when surgery is performed in the latest laminate airflow operating theatre, in which the air is changed many times per minute.  In our experience in Aurora –  with over 500 operations per year –  although infection is generally extremely common we have not had a significant case following surgery for the past three years.   We have seen, however, patients who have had infections in other areas of the body – a tooth infection for example – where the infection can settle on the breast implant and cause inflammation around it some years later.

In some cases infection around a breast implant can be treated with anti-biotics, but if it does not respond adequately to these then, in some cases, the breast implant may need to be removed and re-inserted at a later date.  It is important to understand the risks of infection following breast enlargement surgery and discuss these fully with your surgeon before your operation.

Capsular contraction:

Everyone's body tends to wall off foreign material by making a thin lining around it.  This happens with hip replacements and all other foreign materials.  This lining is known as a capsule and, in most cases, is soft and supple and you will not know you have it.  However, in some patients this lining becomes firmer and acts like shrink wrap to constrict your breast implant.

 Approximately one in twenty people will get some degree of capsular contraction with modern textured implants.  This figure does vary slightly with different types of implants, but is generally considered to be lower with textured coated implants rather than smooth implants.  The cause of capsular contraction is unknown, but may be related to low grade infection around the implant.

Can you fix capsular contraction?

If you experience any discomfort or firmness in the breast, or indeed any change in the shape of the breast, it may need to be treated with either a capsulectomy (removal of the capsule and replacement of the implant) or capsulotomy (freeing up of the capsule internally and replacement of the implant).

Capsular contraction can occur at any time following your surgery and is one of the main risks to consider prior to your operation.

Some surgeons favour polyurethane coated implants which have a significantly reduced risk of capsular contracture and more information can be found on these by listening to our information podcasts.

More information

If you would like to hear previous patients' experiences of breast enlargement procedures performed at Aurora Clinics you can visit the testimonial section of our website.

If you would like to see how a breast enlargement procedure is performed, please view some of our breast enlargement surgery videos on this procedure.

Many people find it very useful to listen to our free information CD about breast enlargement procedures and these can be obtained by completing the enquiry form or sending an email request to info@aurora-clinics.co.uk