Analysis of migrated hydrogel used for breast augmentation revealed prolamin (a cereal seed storage protein)

We report on a case of leakage and migration to the upper abdomen of an unknown injected material that was used for breast augmentation. It was revealed to be prolamin by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis and pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (PY-GC/MS).

A 35-year-old woman who had undergone mammary augmentation by transaxillary injection 8 years previously presented with a decreased size of her left breast and a palpable mass in the left upper quadrant (LUQ). Mammogram and ultrasonography showed multiple dense masses and several hypoechoic areas, respectively. Abdominal ultrasound showed a hypoechoic lesion between the subcutaneous layer and the abdominal wall muscles. When the left breast and the lump in the LUQ were explored, 90 and 160 cc of yellow, sticky, granular gel gushed out. FTIR analysis and PY-GC/MS were used to investigate the component of the removed gel.

When this gel was analyzed by FTIR with the transmittance mode, intensity bands appeared at 3295.2 (NH2), 2927.2 (CH), 1650 (C=C), 1544.6 (C-C), and 1403.1 (C-N) cm(-1). The result showed a 93.84% match with purified zein, a 91.19% match with zein from corn, and a 90.27% match with poly(N-methyl acrylamide). FTIR with the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode revealed that the gel matched with wheat gluten flour. Based on the result of PY-GC/MS, the gel was suspected to be protein.

This is the first such report on performing chemical analysis of a leaked injected gel from human breast implantation. The removed gel from the breast augmentation was revealed to be prolamin, which is a cereal seed storage protein. We think FTIR might be a useful tool for analyzing and confirming extracted materials that were previously injected to the body.