Saline breast implants are the only modern breast implant type that comes unfilled. The surgeon fills the implant with sterile saline during the procedure. While saline implants have fallen out of popularity, some patients concerned about breast implant rupture opt for saline implants because of what happens if a saline breast implant ruptures. So, what is different about saline breast implants that make them preferable in a rupture? Let’s look at the question, “What happens if a saline breast implant ruptures?”
First, the filling of the implant—sterile saline water—poses little risk to the body. Thus, the body usually absorbs it relatively quickly. This causes the implant to deflate back to its original shape. Within a day, this will likely be visible because the breast will lose volume and shape.
Since a saline breast implant rupture is quickly evident, patients can get the implants removed and replaced faster. When compared to silicone implants, ruptures are not usually evident without an MRI. While this posed a problem for old silicone breast implants, the modern cohesive gel prevents silicone breast implants from leaking into the body.
Still, patients who may feel anxiety about the rare possibility of a rupture, sometimes choose saline breast implants because the rupture poses little risk to the body and is quickly noticeable. While it does not come with as many risks as a silicone implant rupture, a ruptured saline implant does still require removal. Patients can then choose if they want to replace the implants or not.
Seattle Plastic Surgery is Seattle’s top provider of breast augmentation surgery. With providers with decades of experience and who have performed thousands of breast augmentations combined, Seattle Plastic Surgery provides the best breast augmentation in Seattle.
Dr. Jonov is a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in plastic surgeries of the face, breast, and body at Seattle Plastic Surgery.
