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Breast Implants
How Long Can Ruptured Saline Implants Stay in my Body?
Removing deflated saline implants should be something that you should do on the sooner side. It is usually not considered a surgical emergency and some people who have silent leaks from small implants have presented to my practice with implants that had probably been ruptured for years. The largest cosmetic issue with a unilateral ruptured implant is that most patients want restoration of symmetry (usually requiring replacement of the implant). As time goes by (3-6 months) the pocket and surrounding tissue can scar down and this can make it difficult to restore the previous shape.
Clinical Context
Saline implants are filled with sterile salt water, which the body safely absorbs if the shell tears. Most ruptures cause noticeable deflation, though some slow leaks — especially in smaller implants — can go unnoticed for a long time. Saline itself isn't considered toxic, so there's no strict medical deadline for removal. Still, waiting too long lets scar tissue form around the empty implant pocket, which can make it harder to restore the original breast shape and symmetry when the implant is eventually replaced.
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