Confocal Raman Microscopy to Study Silicone Breast Implant's Early-Stage Degradation in Reconstructive Surgery

The adverse effects of breast implants, especially silicone breast implants, are increasingly being shown. In addition to complications related to surgical technique and individual patient factors, the implant aging is suspected of being one of the main causes. This study employs the Raman technique, a label-free, non-destructive method that provides chemical composition information, to clarify the structure of the membrane and its gel-bleeding prevention function. The results identified two important markers-diphenylsiloxane and CH₃ vibration-that can distinguish the degradation state of silicone breast implants before and after implantation. In addition, two Raman bands at 1159 and 1524 cm^-1, indicative of gel yellowing, were identified, providing potential insights into the permeation of external substances into the gel through the membrane. The results are consistent with previous observations and highlight the potential of deep learning models to determine degradation time thresholds based on these identified markers.