Can I reuse my breast implants?

Women with breast augmentation may choose to have their implants removed or undergo revision breast surgery for a number of reasons. If a patient requests to keep the implants, Dr. Horton may hand them over after surgery. However, these medical devices are not intended to be reused and it is actually illegal to do so.

Can you keep breast implants for life?

Although breast implants don’t actually expire, they aren’t guaranteed to last a lifetime. The average saline or silicone implants may last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. Up to 20 percent of people have their implants removed or replaced within 8 to 10 years.

Do breast implants ever need to be replaced?

Although the average lifespan of a breast implant is 10-15 years, breast implants actually only need to be replaced if you have a problem such as implant rupture or capsular contracture.

How long do breast implants really last?

The FDA estimates that breast implants should last at least ten years. Studies have shown that some breast implants last much longer than that and others much less. Rupture isn’t the only problem that requires surgery. Over time, breast implants can change shape.

How do you dispose of silicone implants?

Implants that have been extracted from the body must first be sent to pathology to be tested and cleansed and then they must be segregated into the proper medical waste disposal container. Depending on the item, they are either placed inside a biomedical waste red bag or within a sealed FDA approved waste container.

What happens to implants when you get old?

You Experience Sagging Overtime, you might notice changes to your breasts, such as sagging or rippling, and choose to have your implants replaced. You might also have your implants replaced due to sagging after pregnancy.

Can you be cremated if you have breast implants?

Breast implants, replacement hips, etc. respond to cremation a little differently than the rest of the body. But with breast implants, they can melt down during cremation and leave a “gelatinous goo” on the bottom of the machine.

Can breast implants be re-used?

If you could confirm the implant surface is not altered, and is free of pathogens, chemical contamination and tissue debris after sterilization and decontamination methods, I guess it could be re-used. I personally would NOT re-use implants because confirming the above would be very expensive, and research hasn’t been done in this particular area.

Is it possible for implants to go bad after a while?

Yes, but I would not advise that. Once implants have been in place for a while (exact period is unclear, but several weeks to months) and you have developed a problem such as you’re describing, you may have to assume that your current implants are contributing to that problem.

Can I reuse an implantable Class II device?

If a implantable Class II device is designed to be reused then that manufactuer must provide validated reprocessing and sterilization instructions for the user to follow.The FDA will not give approval for the device unless it is satisfied that the manufactuer has given the user a way to make the reprocessable implant safe for patient use.

Is it possible to measure the stress of a failed implant?

One cannot measure how much stress the implant was subjected to on insertion and how close to the elastic limit that it has been torque. One cannot be sure the surface can be sterilized adequately. But, I know these failed implants are being reused.