Case of late hematoma after breast augmentation

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Surgical Complications
• Medical Case Reports

Background:

• Breast augmentation is a common cosmetic procedure.
• Late complications, occurring years after surgery, are infrequent but significant.
• Spontaneous breast hematomas are a rare and poorly understood complication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a unique case of a late, spontaneous breast hematoma.
• To investigate the potential etiology of this rare complication.
• To emphasize the importance of considering long-term risks associated with breast implants.

Main Methods:

• Presentation of a clinical case report.
• Detailed patient history and physical examination.
• Review of potential contributing factors and literature.

Main Results:

• A patient developed a spontaneous breast hematoma 26 years post-augmentation.
• No evidence of trauma, implant rupture, or calcifications was found.
• The hematoma was attributed to capsular vessel erosion secondary to capsular contracture.

Conclusions:

• Late spontaneous breast hematomas are rare but possible complications.
• Capsular contracture may play a role in the etiology of these late hematomas.
• This case underscores the need for awareness of potential long-term sequelae of breast augmentation.