For the new member with implants growing bigger

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Spontaneous autoinflation of saline mammary implants.

>

> OG Jr, Benos DJ

>

> Department of Plastic Surgery, Brookwood Medical Center,

Birmingham, AL

> 35209, USA.

>

> This study was prompted by 5 patients (seen by OGR) presenting with

> unilateral enlargement of the breasts 4 to 9 years following

augmentation

> mammaplasty with saline-filled implants. At exploration one breast

implant

> was seen to be markedly enlarged when compared to the other, with a

brownish

> yellow material that had the consistency of serum. Studies were

undertaken

> to determine the permeability of the silicone container to various

body

> fluids and a study of the contained fluid itself. Protein

measurements,

> viscosity measurements, and osmotic water permeability

measurements were

> performed. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that

these

> silicone implants were indeed permeable to both water, glucose, and

protein.

> We hypothesize that the mechanism underlying this in vivo

expansion is

> colloid osmotic swelling. Why one breast should be more involved

than the

> other is unknown. We believe that this phenomenon is occurring more

> frequently than is being reported.

>

> Comments:

> Comment in: Ann Plast Surg 1998 Jan;40(1):101-3