In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration issued a large-scale recall of all BIOCELL™ textured breast implants due to an increased risk of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
The providers at Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare Clinic understand this might be concerning to patients.
“The recall states that these implants may no longer be provided and placed to patients. It does not state that these need to be emergently removed from patients,” says Dr. Elizabeth A. O’Connor, plastic surgeon at Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare Clinic. “That’s an important distinction.”
According to the data available now, no cases of BIA-ALCL have been reported in women who have smooth implants, O’Connor says.
“So essentially there’s zero risk or the same risk as that of the baseline population,” she adds.
For those with a micro texture implant the risk is approximately 1 in 80,000 and for those with a macro texture, which is an aggressive texturing that includes the recalled BIOCELL™ textured implants, the risk is closer to 1 in 3,000.
“The risk is still really fairly low in the percentage of patients that have breast implants,” O’Connor says.
Still, it’s important for patients to be educated, and the providers at Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare Clinic are available to help.
Patients can identify the type of implants they received by revisiting their medical records or by contacting their surgeon’s office.
If tenderness or swelling develops around the implant area, no matter how long ago they had the surgery, they should schedule an exam.
“The two treatment options for people who identify they have these recalled implants in place is either monitoring the implant for a fluid collection or a mass, or having the implants removed with capsulectomy,” O’Connor says.
Patients who have questions, or who have identified they have the recalled implants, are encouraged to contact Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare Clinic for more information about their treatment options.