Related Experiment Videos
Textured Breast Implants: A Closer Look at the Surface Debris Under the Microscope
Leland H Webb1, Victoria L Aime1, Annie Do2
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Plastic Surgery (Oakville, Ont.)
|October 14, 2017
Summary
Textured breast implants shed particulate matter, with Allergan implants showing the most shedding. This study analyzed surface integrity and particulate release from FDA-approved devices.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials science
- Medical device engineering
Background:
- Breast implant texturing aims to reduce complications, but surface integrity and particulate shedding are not well understood.
- Manufacturers use proprietary techniques for implant surface texturing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess surface particulate shedding from three FDA-approved textured breast implants (Allergan, Mentor, Sientra).
Main Methods:
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to image implants before and after applying and peeling an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer adhesive.
- Qualitative analysis of the copolymer assessed particulate debris displacement from implant surfaces.
Main Results:
- All three textured breast implants exhibited surface particulate shedding when tested.
- The Allergan implant demonstrated the greatest amount of surface shedding compared to Mentor and Sientra implants.
Conclusions:
- Textured breast implant surfaces exhibit dynamic material properties and can shed particulate matter upon moderate adhesion.
- Findings indicate significant differences in particulate shedding among the tested FDA-approved implants, with Allergan showing higher shedding.