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Saline implants are the most frequently used in the country; though, they are not all the same. Saline implants can have a smooth or textured surface, they vary in volume, shell thickness and profile, and they come in both round or "anatomical" shapes. Unlike silicone implants, saline implants do not come from the manufacturer pre-filled. Instead,they are filled at the time of surgery.
The shell of the saline implant consists of a strong, silicone elastomer shell and is filled with a sterile saline solution. Should these implants rupture (which is highly unlikely), the body will absorb the saline.
Saline implants range in size from 120 cc to 850cc. Like silicone implants, only Mentor and Inamed are approved for manufacture of saline implants in the U.S.
Since the saline implant is filled at the time of surgery, there is a valve on the implant. There are a few different types of valves including the leaf valve, kink valve and the diaphragm valve. Almost all valves are located on the anterior, or front, of the breast implant.
The leaf valve is a flat sleeve that a stylet (a metal catheter) threads through. When the stylet is removed, the sleeve goes flat, sealing the valve. This valve is not in use any more because of its higher degree of user trauma. If the stylet was forced hastily into the sleeve, damage could occur to the valve, causing leakage.
The diaphragm valve functions like a clothing snap. The male portion at the end of the tbuing snaps into the female receptor hold, incorporated inot the implant shell.
The newest technology is the Spectrum Expandable saline implant, invented by Dr. Hilton Becker in conjunction with Mentor Corp. This implant has the Becker valve, fill tube and reservoir system. The fill port and tub are removed at the time of the surgery, sealing the valve. Once the fill tube is removed, you can no longer add or remove saline from the implant.
In some cases, the fill tube is left in place so that a special fill port can be attached to the tube, through which saline is added or removed. Saline is added in 50cc increments until the desired size has been achieved. Then a minor surgical procedure is performed in your surgeon's office, during which the port and the tube are removed.
The Spectrum Expandable saline implants comes in smooth round, textured round and contour profiles. The valve is located on the posterior surface of the implant and it has three sealing mechanisms to protect against valve failure.
Of course, there are prefilled saline breast implants, which are often said to be comparable to the look and feel of silicone implants. It is also said that they are softer than non prefilled saline implants with the same aesthetic results.
However, as of May 2000, these implants can no longer be purchased in the United States, due to the limited follow-up data available from the U.S. Discretionary Postmarket Surveillance Study. A company called Clover Leaf Products produces a prefilled saline breast implant, but that is also not available in the U.S.
A good source of information is the manufacturer's websites. We at Certified Plastic Surgeons encourage you to review the product information therein before making a decision as to whether salinebreast implants are the right option for you. And, of course, discuss your options with your surgeons.
Mentor's MemoryGel Website
Inamed's Breast Implants Today Website
Want to learn about silicone breast implants? Click here!
Read about Saline versus Silicone in an article here!
What is a saline breast implant exactly?
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The
Best Candidates for
Silicone Breast Implants |
| Silicone breast implants can enhance your appearance and your
self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change
your looks to match your ideal or cause other people
to treat you differently. Before you decide to have
surgery, think carefully about your expectations
and discuss them with your surgeon. The best candidates
for silicone breast implants are women who are looking
for improvement, not perfection. If you're physically healthy and realistic
in your expectations, you may be a good candidate.
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