Is it true that you should have your implants replaced every 5 or 10 years?

survivorbc09
survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
edited June 2011 in Breast Cancer #1
I saw on the world news the other night that one should have their implants replaced every 5, or, at the latest 10 years due to a possible leakage or rupture from them. Is this right? I didn't know you would have to do this. And if you do, will your insurance still pay for it?

Just wondered if that is what the pink sisters with implants were told, or, if it isn't all true.


Thanks, Jan

Comments

  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #2
    I don't know Jan, as, I had
    I don't know Jan, as, I had a lumpectomy. I will be interested in seeing the replies to this post though.


    Leeza
  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #3
    Interesting...
    I had implants prior to cancer (yeah, just the cosmetic kind) and they had been in for over 10 years when I was diagnosed with cancer. I had no problems with them but when I had gotten them, the plastic surgeon said 10 years. He said anytime you put something in your body that you weren't born with, it will eventually need replaced. ie: knees, valves etc. So, I would guess eventually you would. like I said, I had mine for 13 years.
    The insurance question I don't know the answer to...
    -Dana
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    #4
    missingtexas said:

    Interesting...
    I had implants prior to cancer (yeah, just the cosmetic kind) and they had been in for over 10 years when I was diagnosed with cancer. I had no problems with them but when I had gotten them, the plastic surgeon said 10 years. He said anytime you put something in your body that you weren't born with, it will eventually need replaced. ie: knees, valves etc. So, I would guess eventually you would. like I said, I had mine for 13 years.
    The insurance question I don't know the answer to...
    -Dana

    Yup, everything I've read
    Yup, everything I've read all points to that 10 year marker. I currently have tissue expanders in place, my implant exchange won't be for a few months yet. I've battled the issue of saline vrs silicone for the past few months. I've come to the conclusion that I am going with saline. With silicone I would have to have an MRI every couple years to check for ruptures because a silicone rupture will leak gradually. By the time you would notice it without an MRI you would have lots of silicone in the body. With that said, the new silicone is gelled together so much better then even 10 years ago, but some leakage is still possible.

    By me going with saline, if a saline implant ruptures you will deflate and the liquid in the implant will be absorbed and removed by your bodies own natural defense system. You will just be lopsided until you get a new one put in. Even the life expectancy for saline is about 10 years although there are those women out there that are going on 15+.

    Regarding insurance, I really don't know. This is one major reason why I am going saline because would my insurance cover MRI's every two years instead of mamograms? Not sure... In my opinion I would hope that because this is "health" related and not "cosmetic" related it would fall under the coverage category. But that could be just wishful thinking on my end.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #5
    butterflylvr said:

    Yup, everything I've read
    Yup, everything I've read all points to that 10 year marker. I currently have tissue expanders in place, my implant exchange won't be for a few months yet. I've battled the issue of saline vrs silicone for the past few months. I've come to the conclusion that I am going with saline. With silicone I would have to have an MRI every couple years to check for ruptures because a silicone rupture will leak gradually. By the time you would notice it without an MRI you would have lots of silicone in the body. With that said, the new silicone is gelled together so much better then even 10 years ago, but some leakage is still possible.

    By me going with saline, if a saline implant ruptures you will deflate and the liquid in the implant will be absorbed and removed by your bodies own natural defense system. You will just be lopsided until you get a new one put in. Even the life expectancy for saline is about 10 years although there are those women out there that are going on 15+.

    Regarding insurance, I really don't know. This is one major reason why I am going saline because would my insurance cover MRI's every two years instead of mamograms? Not sure... In my opinion I would hope that because this is "health" related and not "cosmetic" related it would fall under the coverage category. But that could be just wishful thinking on my end.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie

    Yes!
    I agree with butterflylvr ... everything I've read said life expectancy of implants is 10 years. Do some last longer? Yes. But the average life expectancy of implants is 10 years. I went with silicone because of thin skin and the rippling issue.

    Regarding replacement ... yes they are covered because it is breast cancer and reconstruction related surgery. By law they have to cover it. I'm unclear on the MRI's. I think they have to cover it but I'm not sure. It may have to do with how the PS's office words it to the insurance company.

    The silicone have to be checked every 2-3 years to make sure the silicone isn't leaking ... an MRI is the only way to check and see if this is happening.

    I had to sign a consent form saying that I understood implants were not lifetime devices before I had my exchange surgery.
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #6
    10 to 15
    My surgeon told me I would have to have it replace somewhere in the 10 to 15 year mark. I'll be 64 to 69 by then so I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Hopefully nothing unexpected occurs that would require early removal.

    Hugs,

    RE
  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #7
    RE said:

    10 to 15
    My surgeon told me I would have to have it replace somewhere in the 10 to 15 year mark. I'll be 64 to 69 by then so I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Hopefully nothing unexpected occurs that would require early removal.

    Hugs,

    RE

    On a lighter note...
    I was thinking of having my original ones replaced at age 40 because it would have been about 15 years that they had been in...oh the irony! This wasn't exactly what I had planned :)
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #8
    missingtexas said:

    On a lighter note...
    I was thinking of having my original ones replaced at age 40 because it would have been about 15 years that they had been in...oh the irony! This wasn't exactly what I had planned :)

    Yes
    I was told every 10 years as well by plastic surgeon. Insurance company will cover since it is BC related to bring your body back to as close to pre-cancer state. My insurance company even paid for 2 caps because fillings loosened up from the chemo.

    Margo
  • kit kat
    kit kat Member Posts: 56
    #9
    tommaseena said:

    Yes
    I was told every 10 years as well by plastic surgeon. Insurance company will cover since it is BC related to bring your body back to as close to pre-cancer state. My insurance company even paid for 2 caps because fillings loosened up from the chemo.

    Margo

    My reconstruction surgeon
    My reconstruction surgeon said 20 years I'll be 70. I'll probably go flat. I think i regrett getting implants in the 1st place
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #10
    RE said:

    10 to 15
    My surgeon told me I would have to have it replace somewhere in the 10 to 15 year mark. I'll be 64 to 69 by then so I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Hopefully nothing unexpected occurs that would require early removal.

    Hugs,

    RE

    Is the process of getting
    Is the process of getting new implants hard to do, or, a simple procedure? As you can tell, I know nothing about implants.
  • butterflylvr
    butterflylvr Member Posts: 944
    #11
    DianeBC said:

    Is the process of getting
    Is the process of getting new implants hard to do, or, a simple procedure? As you can tell, I know nothing about implants.

    Diane, from what I've read
    Diane, from what I've read it's a much simpler procedure. The PS can do it via an outpatient procedure and can be extracted through your original scar. I do know that the particular line of implants that my PS works with (Natural) they have implant insurance. For $100 you can get a ten year warranty to cover the implant free of charge and they give you $2500 towards surgical fees. Great peace of mind insurance for at least the first 10 years.

    Lorrie
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #12
    Cosmetic, before cancer, above muscle...
    Silicone. Implanted in my 'wild years', 1989. Geez! Was it THAT long ago??? ROFL...

    I have no problems, at least as of now, with them. They actually stopped the spread of my breast cancer...the back margin on the tumor was my implant's capsule.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #13
    butterflylvr said:

    Yup, everything I've read
    Yup, everything I've read all points to that 10 year marker. I currently have tissue expanders in place, my implant exchange won't be for a few months yet. I've battled the issue of saline vrs silicone for the past few months. I've come to the conclusion that I am going with saline. With silicone I would have to have an MRI every couple years to check for ruptures because a silicone rupture will leak gradually. By the time you would notice it without an MRI you would have lots of silicone in the body. With that said, the new silicone is gelled together so much better then even 10 years ago, but some leakage is still possible.

    By me going with saline, if a saline implant ruptures you will deflate and the liquid in the implant will be absorbed and removed by your bodies own natural defense system. You will just be lopsided until you get a new one put in. Even the life expectancy for saline is about 10 years although there are those women out there that are going on 15+.

    Regarding insurance, I really don't know. This is one major reason why I am going saline because would my insurance cover MRI's every two years instead of mamograms? Not sure... In my opinion I would hope that because this is "health" related and not "cosmetic" related it would fall under the coverage category. But that could be just wishful thinking on my end.

    Hugs,
    Lorrie

    The silicone memory gel
    The silicone memory gel implants do not leak- if there were a rupture the consistency of the gel sort of holds in place - my plastic surgeon explained to me that it was like if you cut a gummy bear in half, it's like a gel, but it holds it's shape. I wasn't told I would have to have regular MRI's (at least I dont think that ever came up - i certainly do have "chemo brain" and could have forgotten it!)
    My implants came with some sort of warranty - if they were to rupture or need replacing they will replace them free of charge, as well as pay so much ($2500 maybe?) towards the surgeon's fees to have them replaced.
    For the record, I am pleased as punch with my implants. They may not look so natural (just because i went for the big ones!), but they feel extremely natural. They're soft, and I can stuff 'em into a push up bra if im feeling frisky & really make them look good!
    *hugs*
    Heather
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #14
    KathiM said:

    Cosmetic, before cancer, above muscle...
    Silicone. Implanted in my 'wild years', 1989. Geez! Was it THAT long ago??? ROFL...

    I have no problems, at least as of now, with them. They actually stopped the spread of my breast cancer...the back margin on the tumor was my implant's capsule.

    Hugs, Kathi

    I elected to go with the 'Saline' version for the exact
    reasons .. Lorrie has stated. Different strokes, for different folks.

    I am simply amazed how we 'breast cancer' women can go from a flat chest, transition phase of tissue expanders - and emerge as a fully B, C or D cup!

    Tickled pink with my Saline - memory implants.

    Vicki Sam
  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #15
    KathiM said:

    Cosmetic, before cancer, above muscle...
    Silicone. Implanted in my 'wild years', 1989. Geez! Was it THAT long ago??? ROFL...

    I have no problems, at least as of now, with them. They actually stopped the spread of my breast cancer...the back margin on the tumor was my implant's capsule.

    Hugs, Kathi

    Kathi...this made me laugh
    Kathi...this made me laugh (the wild years part)! My cancer did unfortunately spread and even though I was apparently too stupid to notice the 9cm tumor on top of the implant, my doctors did say that lumps are much easier to detect if you have implants!! That is great that it helped yours!! :)
    Dana
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #16
    missingtexas said:

    On a lighter note...
    I was thinking of having my original ones replaced at age 40 because it would have been about 15 years that they had been in...oh the irony! This wasn't exactly what I had planned :)

    I don't have implants as I
    I don't have implants as I had a lumpectomy, but, from what a friend of mine said, she is suppose to get her silicone implants exchanged in 10 years.

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