Breast Reconstruction Patients Educational Brochure - Mentor

44Protecting Your ImplantsTo protect your implants, you should make sure that any healthcare practitioners(doctors, emergency medical technologists, nurses, massage therapists, acupuncturists,chiropractors, physical therapists, etc.) treating you know that you have silicone gel breastimplants. If they do not know about your implants, they may damage them by accident andyour implants could rupture. Carry your Device Identification Card with you and show it tohealthcare practitioners before receiving treatment.You should also protect your implants by guarding against any strong or repeated pressureon your breasts.Things to Call Your Doctor about Right AwayCall your doctor immediately if you have• Signs of an infection,• A lump,• Skin around the nipple that has become dimpled or drawn in,• Discharge from the nipple,• Change in the position or shape of your implant, or• Injury to your breast(s).If your implant becomes damaged, it may have to be removed.Physical LimitationsAfter you have healed from surgery, you should be able to carry on normal activities includingsports. Avoid situations that put a lot of pressure on your breasts or may cause trauma toyour breast. Ask your doctor if there are any activities he or she does not recommend.7.4 Monitoring Your Implants for RuptureRupture is a rare occurrence with silicone gel breast implants. However, the followinginformation will help you to monitor your implants for evidence of rupture.Detecting RuptureA variety of factors can cause your breast implants to develop a tear or hole in the shell.These tears or holes are usually called ruptures because they can allow silicone gel frominside the implant to exit your implant.If your implant(s) ruptures, you may experience certain symptoms. Any of the followingmay indicate that your implant has ruptured: hard knots or lumps surrounding the implantor in the armpit, changes in breast size or shape, pain, tingling, swelling, numbness,burning, and/or hardening of the breast. 75If you feel any of these symptoms, contact your doctor for an exam.If your implant ruptures, it is more likely that you will not experience any symptoms and youwill not even know your implant had ruptured. In these situations, even your doctor may notbe able to determine that a rupture has occurred. This is referred to as a “silent” rupture.MRI examination (taking pictures of your implants with a device similar to an x-raymachine, but utilizing magnets instead of ionizing radiation) is the best way to tell if a silentrupture has happened. For this reason it is strongly recommended that you have an MRIthe third year after your surgery and then every 2 years after that for as long as you haveyour breast implants.What to do if you Suspect an Implant RuptureIf you suspect that an implant has ruptured or if you suspect that silicone gel has movedout of your implants, call your doctor right away and schedule an exam. Your doctor mayrecommend an MRI or other kinds of tests to help diagnose possible rupture. MRI iscurrently considered the best way to diagnose rupture.