Double PIP Rupture – Both shells split into three pieces

This is a surgical video of removal and replacement of two ruptured PIP implants. Our expert surgeon, Mr Adrian Richards takes us through this operation as he does it, showing the key moments of the surgery and the implants as he removes them.

Mr Richards introduces the video as he is removing the old scar from the right breast. This patient in the video had her PIP implants inserted in 1999, so they will be old style PIPs. The patient wasn’t sure whether they actually were PIPs, but upon removal it became very clear they were.

The right implant is removed and it comes out in two parts. Mr Richards struggles getting it out, as the shell was literally in multiple pieces. Part of the PIP comes out, detaching itself from the rest of it, so Mr Richards has to go back and retrieve the rest before inserting the fresh breast implant.

On the left breast we see creamy fluid, which is a significant sign of a rupture, and upon removal of the implant it is evident that this side is also ruptured. The shell detaches itself from the silicone very easily, and some of the pieces of shell have stuck together.

At the end of the operation Mr Richards compares the two implants, and it is the first time we have seen a double rupture, where each implant shell has split into three pieces. The implants have been in this patient for a long time, which is probably why  they have both deteriorated to this extent. This is just another reason to have your PIP implants removed sooner, before they end up like this.