Experience of explantation of Trilucent breast implants

On 6 June 2000, the Medical Devices Agency (MDA) recommended that all Trilucent (soya-bean-oil filled) breast implants should be removed. This accelerated a trend that had already begun in our unit. This study follows our previous report on a 3 year series of women with Trilucent breast implants. The aim was to present our operative findings at explantation, and to correlate them with the preoperative signs and symptoms, the postoperative complications and the details of the hospital stay. In total, 44 patients (82 implants) underwent explantation, of whom 34 were cosmetic cases and 10 were reconstructive. Five patients had their implants removed before the MDA announcement. Implant rippling was the most common problem reported (25%), followed by pain (18%), implant deflation (9.1%) and capsular contracture (4.5%). Free oil was seen around the implant in 15 cases; four of these presented with clinical deflation, and three with rippling. The remaining eight patients were asymptomatic. We conclude that these implants tend to bleed, as evidenced by the presence of free oil around the implant in 34% of patients. The absence of free oil in 73% of the patients who presented with rippling suggests that the leaking oil is often metabolised and absorbed. The findings of this study are significant for women in whom free oil was found around the implant during explantation, and for those who still have Trilucent implants in place, for whatever reason, in spite of the MDA recommendation.