Plastic Surgeons Defend Textured Breast Implants at 2019 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Hearing: Why It Is Time to Reconsider

Intraoperative Evaluation of Textured Anatomical Implant Rotation: A Prospective Study

BACKGROUND

Textured implants were developed with the goal of reducing rates of capsular contracture and preventing implant malposition (eg, malrotation). Recent evidence has questioned whether textured implants are as resistant to malrotation as previously reported.

METHODS

Women presenting to a single health care system for removal of textured implants were prospectively enrolled in the study from September of 2019 to July of 2022. Patients who underwent removal of an anatomical, textured implant in the operating room were included in the study; whereas those who did not undergo implant removal, or were found to have a smooth implant, or a round, textured implant, were excluded. The degree of implant rotation on removal of the implant was measured intraoperatively. Information regarding implant-specific factors, patient demographics, clinical factors, and operative characteristics, was collected.

RESULTS

A total of 51 patients (80 implants) were included in the study; 45% of implants were malrotated (rotated >30 degrees), and the median degree of rotation was 30 degrees. Having more than one previous revision of the breast pocket was predictive of implant rotation (42 degrees) on multivariate linear regression analysis. Patients who presented with a complaint of "aesthetic dissatisfaction" had 2.89 increased odds of having an implant rotated greater than 30 degrees.

CONCLUSION

The authors' study found a high rate of malrotation of textured shaped implants on explantation.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Risk, III.

Surgical Management of Textured Breast Implants: Assessing Risk and Analyzing Patient-Reported Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Textured implants have been linked to breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Patients who undergo explantation have options for reconstruction, but data on safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are limited. The purpose of this study was to classify complications and PROs in patients opting for surgical management of textured implants.

METHODS

Complication rates and BREAST-Q scores were compared between (1) asymptomatic patients who underwent conversion from textured to smooth implants ( n = 224), (2) symptomatic patients who underwent conversion from textured to smooth implants ( n = 83), (3) patients who underwent explantation without replacement ( n = 44), and (4) patients who underwent replacement with autologous reconstruction ( n = 33). Linear regression examined PROs controlling for clinical and surgical variables.

RESULTS

Overall complication rates in 384 patients (637 implants) differed across groups ( P = 0.034), with the highest rate (25%) in patients who underwent explantation without replacement. These patients were specifically more impacted by minor complications, notably seroma. Capsulectomy extent did not significantly impact complications. Asymptomatic and symptomatic smooth implant patients had improvements in Satisfaction with Breasts ( P < 0.05). Autologous reconstruction patients had significant improvements in Satisfaction with Breasts sustained after 3 months postoperatively ( P < 0.01) and Sexual Well-being sustained after 6-months postoperatively ( P < 0.05). Patients who underwent removal without replacement had lower Physical Well-being of the Chest scores at 1 year or more than the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Replacement of textured implants with smooth implants or flaps is safe and is associated with improved satisfaction with breasts and quality of life. The degree of capsulectomy does not appear to impact the incidence of perioperative complications.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic, III.

Gram-Positive Bacteria Increase Breast Implant-Related Complications: Prospective Analysis of 100 Revised Implants

BACKGROUND

Breast implant-related complications can be reduced by strict antiseptic precautions during insertion, but bacteria can often be found on implant surfaces on the occasion of revision surgery. The authors prospectively analyzed the association of bacteria found on breast implant surfaces with implant-related complications in breast implant revision cases.

METHODS

The authors analyzed a total of 100 breast implant revisions in 66 patients between August of 2018 and January of 2021. Capsular swabs and capsular samples were taken intraoperatively. Analyses on the occurrence of bacteria and the occurrence of implant-related complications were performed. In addition, correlations between bacteria-contaminated breast implant surfaces and implant-related complications were performed.

RESULTS

Implant-related complications (perforation, rupture, capsular contraction) were observed in 42 implant sites: eight unilateral and 34 bilateral cases. In total, 16 swabs showed positive bacterial growth, 10 of which were associated with a breast implant-related complication (χ 2 = x, y, and z; P = 0.006). The most common implant-based complication at contaminated prosthetics was implant rupture. The association of contaminated breast implants and implant rupture was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors identified a correlation between implant complications and Gram-positive bacteria found on breast implant surfaces. The most common implant-based complication seen at simultaneously positive samples was implant rupture in 50% of the authors' cases. No capsular contraction or other complications were seen.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Risk, III.

Smooth versus Textured Tissue Expanders: Comparison of Outcomes and Complications in 536 Implants

Background  Increasing concerns regarding the safety of textured surface implants have resulted in surgeons transitioning from textured tissue expanders (TEs) to smooth TEs. Given this change has only recently occurred, this study evaluated outcomes between smooth and textured TEs. Methods  Women who underwent two-stage breast reconstruction using TEs from 2013 to 2022 were included. TE-specific variables, perioperative information, pain scores, and complications were collected. Chi-squared, t -test, and linear regression analyses were performed. Results  A total of 320 patients received a total of 384 textured and 152 smooth TEs. Note that 216 patients received bilateral reconstruction. TEs were removed in 9 cases. No significant differences existed between groups regarding comorbidities. Smooth TEs had a higher proportion of prepectoral placement ( p  < 0.001). Smooth TEs had less fills (3 ± 1 vs. 4 ± 2, p  < 0.001), shorter expansion periods (60 ± 44 vs. 90 ± 77 days, p  < 0.001), smaller expander fill volumes (390 ± 168 vs. 478 ± 177 mL, p  < 0.001), and shorter time to exchange (80 ± 43 vs. 104 ± 39 days, p  < 0.001). Complication rates between textured and smooth TEs were comparable. Smooth TE had a greater proportion of TE replacements ( p  = 0.030). On regression analysis, pain scores were more closely associated with age ( p  = 0.018) and TE texture ( p  = 0.046). Additional procedures at time of TE exchange ( p  < 0.001) and textured TE ( p  = 0.017) led to longer operative times. Conclusion  As many surgeons have transitioned away from textured implants, our study shows that smooth TEs have similar outcomes to the textured alternatives.

In vitro models of soft tissue damage by implant-associated frictional shear stresses

Silicone elastomer medical implants are ubiquitous in medicine, particularly for breast augmentation. However, when these devices are placed within the body, disruption of the natural biological interfaces occurs, which significantly changes the native energy-dissipation mechanisms of living systems. These new interfaces can introduce non-physiological contact pressures and tribological conditions that provoke inflammation and soft tissue damage. Despite their significance, the biotribological properties of implant-tissue and implant-extracellular matrix (ECM) interfaces remain poorly understood. Here, we developed an in vitro model of soft tissue damage using a custom-built in situ biotribometer mounted onto a confocal microscope. Sections of commercially-available silicone breast implants with distinct and clinically relevant surface roughness (Ra = 0.2 ± 0.03 μm, 2.7 ± 0.6 μm, and 32 ± 7.0 μm) were mounted to spherically-capped hydrogel probes and slid against collagen-coated hydrogel surfaces as well as healthy breast epithelial (MCF10A) cell monolayers to model implant-ECM and implant-tissue interfaces. In contrast to the "smooth" silicone implants (Ra < 10 μm), we demonstrate that the "microtextured" silicone implant (10 < Ra < 50 μm) induced higher frictional shear stress (τ > 100 Pa), which led to greater collagen removal and cell rupture/delamination. Our studies may provide insights into post-implantation tribological interactions between silicone breast implants and soft tissues.

Silicone Implant Surface Roughness, Friction, and Wear

Textured silicone breast implants with high average surface roughness ("macrotextured") have been associated with a rare cancer of the immune system, Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Silicone elastomer wear debris may lead to chronic inflammation, a key step in the development of this cancer. Here, we model the generation and release of silicone wear debris in the case of a folded implant-implant ("shell-shell") sliding interface for three different types of implants, characterized by their surface roughness. The "smooth" implant shell with the lowest average surface roughness tested (Ra = 2.7 ± 0.6 μm) resulted in average friction coefficients of μavg = 0.46 ± 0.11 across 1,000 mm of sliding distance and generated 1,304 particles with an average particle diameter of Davg = 8.3 ± 13.1 μm. The "microtextured" implant shell (Ra = 32 ± 7.0 μm) exhibited μavg = 1.20 ± 0.10 and generated 2,730 particles with Davg = 4.7 ± 9.1 μm. The "macrotextured" implant shell (Ra = 80 ± 10 μm) exhibited the highest friction coefficients, μavg = 2.82 ± 0.15 and the greatest number of wear debris particles, 11,699, with an average particle size of Davg = 5.3 ± 3.3 μm. Our data may provide guidance for the design of silicone breast implants with lower surface roughness, lower friction, and smaller quantities of wear debris.

Biomedical Silicones: Leveraging Additive Strategies to Propel Modern Utility

Silicones have a long history of use in biomedical devices, with unique properties stemming from the siloxane (Si-O-Si) backbone that feature a high degree of flexibility and chemical stability. However, surface, rheological, mechanical, and electrical properties of silicones can limit their utility. Successful modification of silicones to address these limitations could lead to superior and new biomedical devices. Toward improving such properties, recent additive strategies have been leveraged to modify biomedical silicones and are highlighted herein.

Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma: Updated Systematic Review and Analysis of Treatment Strategies

BACKGROUND

Although guidelines have been published on treatment of breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), there has been no comprehensive analysis of BIA-ALCL treatment variation based on the available literature. The authors sought to assess current treatment strategies of BIA-ALCL relative to current guidelines.

METHODS

Database searches were conducted in June of 2020. Included articles were case reports and case series with patient-level data. Collected variables included clinicopathologic features, implant characteristics, diagnostic tests, ALCL characteristics, treatment, and details of follow-up and outcome. Treatment data from before and after 2017 were compared with National Cancer Center Network guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 89 publications were included and 178 cases of BIA-ALCL were identified. Most patients presented with seroma ( n = 114, 70.4 percent), followed by a mass ( n = 14, 8.6 percent), or both ( n = 23, 14.2 percent). Treatment included en bloc capsulectomy of the affected implant in 122 out of 126 cases with treatment details provided (96.8 percent). Radiation therapy was given in 38 cases (30.2 percent) and chemotherapy was given in 71 cases (56.3 percent). Practitioners used less chemotherapy for local disease after treatment guideline publication in 2017 ( p < 0.001), whereas treatment for advanced disease remained unchanged ( p = 0.3). There were 10 recurrences and eight fatalities attributable to BIA-ALCL, which were associated with advanced presentation (29 versus 2.1 percent; OR, 19.4; 95 percent CI, 3.9 to 96.3; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

BIA-ALCL remains a morbid but treatable condition. Current guidelines focus treatment for local disease and reduce nonsurgical interventions with radiation or chemotherapy. Patients presenting with advanced BIA-ALCL experience higher rates of recurrence and mortality.

Is Iatrogenic Implant Contamination Preventable Using a 16-Step No-Touch Protocol?

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative contamination of the surgical field during aesthetic breast augmentation may lead to implant infection with devastating consequences. This study covers a period of 30 years and is divided into 2 phases: a retrospective phase from 1992-2004 when a standard approach was used and a prospective phase from 2004-2022 when a no-touch approach was implemented to avoid contamination.

METHODS

Patients in the standard and no-touch groups underwent aesthetic breast augmentation by the same senior surgeon (FDP) in the same outpatient surgical facility during the 30-year period of the study. Patients are divided into 2 groups: from 1992-2004 and from the implementation of the no-touch protocol in 2004-2022.

RESULTS

Patients who underwent breast augmentation using the no-touch approach developed no infections, whereas the standard group had an infection rate of 3.54% (P = .017). The validity of this finding is discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

The no-touch approach as described in this article was effective in reducing implant infection rate when performing aesthetic breast augmentation by 1 surgeon at 1 surgical center during an 18-year observation period. Multicenter prospective cooperative studies are necessary to validate perioperative iatrogenic contamination as the cause of implant infection and to explore optimal approaches that could eliminate implant contamination.

2022 Practice Recommendation Updates From the World Consensus Conference on BIA-ALCL

BACKGROUND

Laboratory and clinical research on breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is rapidly evolving. Changes in standard of care and insights into best practice were recently presented at the 3rd World Consensus Conference on BIA-ALCL.

OBJECTIVES

The authors sought to provide practice recommendations from a consensus of experts, supplemented with a literature review regarding epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, socio-psychological aspects, and international authority guidance.

METHODS

A literature search of all manuscripts between 1997 and August 2021 for the above areas of BIA-ALCL was conducted with the PubMed database. Manuscripts in different languages, on non-human subjects, and/or discussing conditions separate from BIA-ALCL were excluded. The study was conducted employing the Delphi process, gathering 18 experts panelists and utilizing email-based questionnaires to record the level of agreement with each statement by applying a 5-point Likert Scale. Median response, interquartile range, and comments were employed to accept, reject, or revise each statement.

RESULTS

The literature search initially yielded 764 manuscripts, of which 405 were discarded. From the remaining 359, only 218 were included in the review and utilized to prepare 36 statements subdivided into 5 sections. After 1 round, panelists agreed on all criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

BIA-ALCL is uncommon and still largely underreported. Mandatory implant registries and actions by regulatory authorities are needed to better understand disease epidemiology and address initial lymphomagenesis and progression. Deviation from current diagnosis and treatment protocols can lead to disease recurrence, and research on breast implant risk factors provide insight to etiology.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Breast Implant-Associated Immunological Disorders

Background

Breast implants are commonly placed postbreast cancer reconstruction, cosmetic augmentation, and gender-affirming surgery. Breast implant illness (BII) is a systemic complication associated with breast implants. Patients with BII may experience autoimmune symptoms including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, hair loss, weight change, and depression. BII is poorly understood, and the etiology is unknown. The purpose of this literature review is to characterize BII autoimmune disorders and determine possible causes for its etiology.

Methods

The PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science, and OVID databases were interrogated from 2010 to 2020 using a query strategy including search term combinations of "implants," "breast implant illness," "autoimmune," and "systemic illness."

Results

BII includes a spectrum of autoimmune symptoms such as fatigue, myalgias/arthralgias, dry eyes/mouth, and rash. A review of epidemiological studies in the past ten years exhibited evidence affirming an association between breast implants and autoimmune diseases. The most commonly recognized were Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Raynaud's syndrome. Explantation resulted in alleviation of symptoms in over 50% of patients, strengthening the hypothesis linking breast implants to BII. Studies have shown that silicone is a biologically inert material and unlikely to be the cause of these symptoms. This is supported by the fact that increased risk of autoimmune disease was also reported in patients with other implantable biomaterials such as orthopedic implants. Recent studies shed light on a possible role of bacterial biofilm and subsequent host-pathogen interactions as a confounding factor to this problem.

Conclusion

BII could be dependent on biofilm infection and the microenvironment around the implants. The true pathophysiology behind these complaints must be further investigated so that alternative treatment regimens other than explantation can be developed. Translational significance of these studies is not limited to breast implants but extends to other implants as well.

Smooth versus Textured Implants and Their Association with the Frequency of Capsular Contracture in Primary Breast Augmentation

BACKGROUND

Capsular contracture is the most frequent complication of breast implant augmentation. Although studies indicate that textured implants have a low incidence of contracture, they have been associated with anaplastic cell lymphoma, which influences the choice of surface. This study estimated and compared the annual capsular contracture rate of both smooth and textured implants in primary breast implants.

METHODS

Two hundred fifty-three patients (506 implants) were evaluated from January of 2017 to July of 2019; 42.2 percent of the implants were smooth and 57.8 percent were textured. The inframammary approach was used in the subfascial (55.3 percent) and submuscular (44.7 percent) pockets. The primary outcome was the appearance of capsular contracture (Baker grade II, III, and IV) within the first postoperative year.

RESULTS

Smooth implants had a higher capsular contracture rate at 1 year postoperatively compared with textured implants, although with borderline statistical significance (p = 0.06). Smooth surface breast implants in the subfascial plane had a 4-fold higher risk of contracture than those with a textured surface in the same plane (OR, 4.4; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.6 to 12.4). However, when placed in the submuscular plane, both textures had a similar contracture risk. The rate of contracture was similar after 2 years postoperatively (p = 0.21).

CONCLUSIONS

Using the inframammary approach and a standardized technique, there were no significant differences in the incidence of capsular contracture between the smooth and textured implants. In the subfascial plane, the contracture rate with smooth implants was higher than with textured implants. However, in the submuscular plane, there was no difference between the surfaces.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCW

Therapeutic, III.

Major Complications After Textured Versus Non-textured Breast Implants in Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction: A Propensity Score Analysis

BACKGROUND

While the risks and benefits of smooth versus textured implants for breast reconstruction and primary breast augmentation are thoroughly supported in the literature, few studies have examined the relationship between implant shell texture and complications following direct-to-implant (DTI) breast reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES

The present study examines the relationship between implant shell texture and complications in patients receiving DTI breast reconstruction.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of patients undergoing DTI breast reconstruction between 2011 and 2018 by a single surgeon was performed. A propensity score matching algorithm was used to eliminate unwanted bias stemming from clinical covariates. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine the association between implant shell texture and the following major postoperative complications: capsular contracture, hematoma, seroma, necrosis, infection, and implant loss.

RESULTS

A total of 402 unique patients (751 breasts) were included. The majority received smooth implants compared with textured implants (80.3% vs. 19.7%, respectively); 444 breasts were included for comparative analysis after 2:1 propensity score matching (296 smooth implants, 148 textured implants). The only statistically significant difference in outcomes between the two groups was a higher incidence of hematoma in the textured group (2.0% vs 0.0%), Fisher's Exact Test p = 0.04. Additionally, the matched cohort revealed a very low overall rate of capsular contracture (1.0%) for smooth implants.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrated non-significant differences for most major complication rates or revision surgery rates for smooth versus textured implants after matching. DTI breast reconstruction with smooth implants remains a safe and effective reconstructive option for select patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine Ratings, please refer to Table of Contents or online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Dissemination and Implementation Science in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: Perfecting, Protecting, and Promoting the Innovation That Defines Our Specialty

SUMMARY

Plastic and reconstructive surgery has an illustrious history of innovation. The advancement, if not the survival, of the specialty depends on the continual development and improvement of procedures, practices, and technologies. It follows that the safe adoption of innovation into clinical practice is also paramount. Traditionally, adoption has relied on the diffusion of new knowledge, which is a consistent but slow and passive process. The emerging field of dissemination and implementation science promises to expedite the spread and adoption of evidence-based interventions into clinical practice. The field is increasingly recognized as an important function of academia and is a growing priority for major health-related funding institutions. The authors discuss the contemporary challenges of the safe implementation and dissemination of new innovations in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and call on their colleagues to engage in this growing field of dissemination and implementation science.