Long-term results of polyurethane-covered prostheses

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Biomaterials Science
• Medical Device Evaluation

Background:

• Bilateral augmentation mammaplasty is a common cosmetic procedure.
• Polyurethane-covered breast implants were developed to potentially reduce capsular contracture.
• Long-term outcomes of specific implant types require thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term outcomes of Ashley "Natural-Y" polyurethane-covered prostheses used in augmentation mammaplasty.
• To compare the incidence of capsular contracture with other breast implant devices.
• To assess the removability and integrity of polyurethane-covered implants after extended implantation periods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective survey of 42 out of 63 cases undergoing bilateral augmentation mammaplasty with Ashley "Natural-Y" implants.
• Evaluation of cases 15-17 years post-primary operation.
• Comparative analysis of capsular contracture rates with other augmentation devices.

Main Results:

• Polyurethane cover deterioration was observed in the Ashley "Natural-Y" implants.
• Extreme difficulty was encountered during implant removal due to cover degradation.
• Capsular contracture rates were assessed in comparison to other implant types.

Conclusions:

• The long-term use of Ashley "Natural-Y" polyurethane-covered implants is associated with significant material degradation.
• The difficulty in removing these deteriorated implants raises safety concerns.
• Further utilization of these specific polyurethane-covered prostheses is considered unjustifiable in augmentation mammaplasty.