procedures/breast
Implant Revision & Removal
About
Revision surgery is common at some point post breast augmentation- whether it be for a complication related to your implants or simply that you and your breasts have changed with life and aging, Common revisions include, implant exchange, pocket revision and breast lift surgery.
Many women are now choosing to remove their implants given the uncertainty related to ALCL and Breast Implant Illness. The risks of ALCL are very low, and multifactorial, ie not just related to the implant type.
Breast Implant Illness is still something of a clinical mystery. There is no test, just a range of symptoms that hint at some sort of immune or inflammatory reaction that may be driven by a patient's breast implants.
For patients concerned about this we perform a total capsulectomy with removal of the implant. The capsule is sent to the lab to check for abnormalities.
Hospital
This operation is performed in a fully accredited hospital under General Anaesthesia. Hospital stay depends on the specifics of the operation, some cases are suitable as day cases whilst others are recommended to stay at least one night.
A total capsulectomy takes approximately 2.5 - 3 hours.
Recovery
Depending on the job you have, it is best to have at least 2 weeks off work, and/or help with small children for this time.
It is important to wear a suitable post operative support bra after your operation as any changes to the breast pocket need to heal to ensure long term implant stability.
Fees
The total fee has 4 components, the Surgeon's fee, the Anaesthetic fee, the Hospital fee, and the histopathology fee (for any tissue that is removed).
The Surgeon's fee is ~$10,000. The Anaesthetic fee is ~$2800. The Hospital fee is ~$6000 without private health insurance and the pathology fee is ~$500.
Medicare number
There is a Medicare item number that can be applied to implant removal and capsulectomy. Replacement of implants is not covered unless stricter criteria are met. Dr Lisa will confirm your eligibility during your consultation.
Check your cover
You should call your healthfund and check that you have the appropriate level of cover for this operation. The item number for this operation is 45551 (for implant removal).