Breast implant complication

Definition/Description

Any change in appearance of implants or increased associated pain.
Common problems include age related sagging, calcification of breast tissue, capsular contraction, leak from implant, implant wrinkling or rippling, infection, inflammation or irritation.

Red Flag Symptoms

Urgent suspected cancer (USC) referral required if has below associated symptoms:

Breast lump
Nipple changes
Nipple discharge

Guidelines on Management

The ICB does NOT routinely commission the removal of breast implants.

This commissioning decision applies regardless of funding source of the original surgery (i.e. whether funded by the NHS or on a private basis).

(In the first instance the patient should be directed back to the original private provider for the procedure. If the private provider is unable to support the patient, the NHS will undertake removal only. The ICB reserves the right to seek reimbursement from the provider.)

Patients will be offered the choice of removing both prostheses if only one has been ruptured to preserve symmetry.

This policy does not include replacement of removed implants (see next)

The ICB does NOT routinely commission the replacement of breast implants.

Where revision surgery is being carried out for implant failure, the ICB will support the removal of failed implants in certain circumstances (as above) but will not approve their replacement, other than where clinical exceptionality may apply and where approval for funding is granted by the IFR panel.

Replacement of implants will only be considered when patients meet the criteria for of breast implants for patients whose original surgery was paid for on a privately funded basis is not commissioned unless undertaken following cancer surgery.