Are You at Risk For Capsular Contracture?
By Stanley Okoro | Published on December 9, 2010 | 0 Comments
It is a natural part of your body’s healing process to form scars. If you have ever cut yourself, you can attest to this. The same process occurs when your body heals after surgery. At Georgia Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, in Marietta Georgia, plastic surgeon Stanley Okoro MD says that a large portion of a patient’s cosmetic surgery is actually the planning stages. It is important that your doctor be made aware of any medical conditions you have and that you are choosing a procedure appropriate for your body. In some instances, he says, there can be complications, but most problems in cosmetic surgery can be alleviated with proper planning.
A scar will form even around foreign objects that you place into your body as well. This occurs even in breast augmentation surgeries, Dr. Okoro explains. However, if you do not choose an implant that is an adequate size for your body type or you have the procedure performed by an inexperienced or under-qualified surgeon, then the scar that forms could cause pain in your breasts or cause the shape of your breasts to change.
Ideally, Dr. Okoro says, after surgery, you should form soft scars. It is when hard scars form instead that you then develop what is referred to as capsular contracture. Although doctors do not know for certain what causes capsular contracture, they do know that over 95% of all patients will heal after breast augmentation normally and that less than 5% of patients will form these thick scars.
Sometimes, this problem will be noticeable to a physician in the weeks following surgery, but most of the time, it takes awhile for a patient to notice that anything has gone wrong, Dr. Okoro explains. This is why, he says, it is so important to remain diligent about attending followup appointments after surgery. At Georgia Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, it is Dr. Okoro’s philosophy to never discharge a patient. You should be meeting with your doctor for the rest of your life.
Even though the causes of capsular contracture have not been pinpointed, Dr. Okoro says that there are certain precautions that you can take to lower the possibility of forming hard scar tissue around your implants. First, he says, it is important that you are treated by a board-certified plastic surgeon and not a cosmetic surgeon. Any physician with an MD can call himself a cosmetic surgeon and offer breast augmentation surgeries in his office. However, Dr. Okoro points out, these doctors do not understand the intricacies involved in the procedure. There are so many instances that could lead to capsular contracture, such as bacterial infection, genetic factors, sterilization of instruments, and radiation therapy, and you need a surgeon who is prepared to prevent these unnecessary complications. At Georgia Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Okoro has focused a portion of his practice on helping women who suffer from capsular contracture achieve less painful and more natural looking breasts through reconstructive surgeries.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.