A Mechanical Model for the Failure of Reconstructive Breast Implant Surgery Due to Capsular Contracture

Capsular contracture is a pathological response to implant-based reconstructive breast surgery, where the "capsule" (tissue surrounding an implant) painfully thickens, contracts and deforms. It is known to affect breast-cancer survivors at higher rates than healthy women opting for cosmetic breast augmentation with implants. We model the early stages of capsular contracture based on stress-dependent recruitment of contractile and mechanosensitive cells to the implant site. We derive a one-dimensional continuum spatial model for the spatio-temporal evolution of cells and collagen densities away from the implant surface. Various mechanistic assumptions are investigated for linear versus saturating mechanical cell responses and cell traction forces. Our results point to specific risk factors for capsular contracture, and indicate how physiological parameters, as well as initial states (such as inflammation after surgery) contribute to patient susceptibility.