Q. I am 32 and have had my breast implants for ten years. How do I know if my implants are healthy since I am not yet getting annual mammograms?

A. Breast implant safety is critical to me. Implants that have been in for several years could begin to have issues that may not exhibit symptoms until they become clinically evident. For this reason, I have started offering breast implant ultrasound surveillance for my patients. I use a high-resolution breast ultrasound that I can do during a consultation, at a pre- or post-operative appointment, or on a schedule as recommended by the FDA for implant patients. This simple, non-invasive, quick ultrasound examination can detect implant rupture, flipping, capsular contracture, or fluid collection in the breast. If there are concerning findings during this routine ultrasound, I will have you follow up with a confirmatory MMG or MRI with a board-certified radiologist. Especially for women younger than 40 and not yet receiving routine mammograms, it is important to monitor the health of implants. For my implant patients, I scan them at 5-6 years after surgery and then every 2-3 years after that, following the current FDA guidelines. I want my patients to have peace of mind from knowing that their implants are healthy and safe.

Although we do not anticipate problems with implants, and I use the most trusted and studied products, ensuring no silent problems occur is always prudent. If you are an existing patient with implants you received in our office and want to have them checked; please call my office to schedule a free scan. If you are not an existing implant patient with concerns about your implants, you may call our office to schedule a consultation with me. We can discuss your implants and do a scan if appropriate. Patient safety is my priority, and I am pleased to offer this additional safety check.

-Cindy Wu, MD, FACS

If you have questions you would like Dr. Wu to answer, please email them to info@cynthiagreggmd.com, and we will include them in a future Ask The Surgeon Column.