Breast implant revision, exchange or removal in Istanbul

What breast implant revision means

Revision is any operation on a breast that already has an implant. It ranges from a simple exchange for a new implant of the same size to complete removal of the implant and the scar capsule around it, sometimes with a breast lift or fat transfer at the same time. Many women seeking revision had their first surgery years ago, sometimes in another country, and are now dealing with a change they did not expect.

Revision is, in general, more complex than a first augmentation. The tissues have been operated on before, the scar capsule has its own behaviour and the breast may have changed with pregnancy, weight or age. That is why planning matters as much as the operation itself, and why it is worth choosing a surgeon who is comfortable with secondary breast surgery. At New City Clinic, revisions are performed by Op. Dr. Fatih Kılıç, a plastic, oncological and reconstructive surgeon whose work includes reconstructive breast surgery.

Common reasons for revision

Capsular contracture explained

Every implant is surrounded by a thin layer of scar tissue, the capsule, which the body forms naturally. In some women this capsule thickens and tightens over time, squeezing the implant. Surgeons grade it from soft and normal to hard, visibly distorted and painful. Mild changes may need nothing more than observation; moderate and severe contracture usually needs surgery.

Simply replacing the implant without dealing with the capsule tends to let the problem return. Treatment therefore usually involves removing the capsule (capsulectomy), placing a new implant, sometimes in a different pocket, and paying careful attention to sterile technique. Even then, contracture can recur, and this is discussed honestly before surgery.

Some factors make contracture more likely, including bleeding or infection around the implant, previous radiotherapy to the chest and, in some studies, implant position and surface. Your history, including how quickly the hardening developed and whether it affects one or both sides, helps the surgeon choose the most suitable strategy, which may include changing the pocket, using a different implant or, in selected cases, removing the implants altogether.

Before you travel: records and investigations

Good revision planning depends on information. The most useful documents are your implant card or operation notes stating the brand, type, surface, size and placement of your implants. If you had your first surgery abroad and no longer have these, the surgeon can still plan, but the details are confirmed during the operation.

• Photos of the breasts from the front, sides and obliques
• Implant card or previous operation report, if available
• Recent breast ultrasound or MRI if a rupture is suspected
• Mammogram reports if you are of screening age
• Details of any symptoms: pain, swelling, fluid, change in shape and when it started

Your options: exchange, removal or removal with a lift

Once the cause is clear, the options usually fall into one of the following plans. The choice depends on your goals as much as on the problem itself.

• Implant exchange: removing the old implant and placing a new one, of the same or a different size, often with treatment of the capsule
• Pocket change: moving the implant from above to below the muscle (or vice versa) to correct rippling, contracture or malposition
• Explant with partial or total capsulectomy: removing the implant and some or all of the capsule, without a new implant
• En bloc capsulectomy: removing the implant and capsule together in one piece, used in selected cases such as certain ruptures or specific medical concerns
• Explant with breast lift: removing the implant and lifting the remaining breast so it does not look empty
• Explant with fat transfer: replacing some of the lost volume with your own fat

Thinking about implant removal

A growing number of women decide to remove their implants entirely, for personal reasons, because of complications or because of concerns about health. It is important to know what to expect. After removal, the breast is usually smaller than before the first operation, because the implant has thinned the tissue over the years, and the skin may look loose or deflated. That is why removal is often combined with a breast lift or fat transfer.

Some women attribute general symptoms to their implants. The evidence in this area is still developing, and no surgeon can promise that removal will resolve such symptoms. What a surgeon can do is remove the implants and capsules safely and help you achieve a breast shape you are comfortable with. BIA-ALCL, a rare lymphoma associated mainly with textured implants, is a separate, recognised condition; if there is late swelling or fluid around an implant, it should be investigated before surgery.

The operation day

After transfer to the licensed partner hospital you have blood tests, an anaesthesia assessment and final markings. The operation is under general anaesthesia and usually takes 1.5–3 hours, depending on how much work is needed. Where possible, the existing scar is used so that no new scars are added; if a lift is part of the plan, additional incisions are needed around the areola and below it.

Removed implants and, when appropriate, capsule tissue can be sent for laboratory examination. You wake up in a support bra, stay one night in hospital and return to the hotel the next morning. Drains are used when a large capsule has been removed and normally come out before you leave the hospital or shortly after.

Cost of implant revision in Turkey

No two revisions are the same, so there is no fixed price. The total depends on whether new implants are used, whether a capsulectomy, lift or fat transfer is needed and the operating time. After a free assessment of your photos and records you receive a written, itemised quote, usually within 24 hours.

The package includes surgery in a Ministry of Health licensed hospital, the hospital night, hotel accommodation, airport–hotel–hospital transfers, coordinator and interpreter, support bra and complication insurance. Flights are not included; travelnewcity.com can be used to book. For comparison, indicative private prices for surgery alone are below. In the UK, the NHS may treat certain complications such as rupture of a cosmetic implant, but usually only to remove it, not to replace it.

Recovery after revision surgery

Recovery is similar to a first augmentation and often easier when the implant is above the muscle or simply removed. It may be a little longer when a full capsulectomy or lift is performed.

• Days 1–3: tightness, swelling, short walks; drains if used are removed
• Days 4–7: check-up with the surgeon, then the flight home after 5–7 days in Istanbul
• Week 1: most return to desk work after about 7 days
• Weeks 2–5: daily activities resume; no heavy lifting or chest exercise
• Week 6: support bra usually stopped; sport reintroduced gradually
• Month 4: swelling resolved and the result largely settled

Scars after revision

Wherever possible the existing scar under the breast is reopened, so most women do not gain a new scar from an exchange or removal. If the old scar sits around the areola or in the armpit, the surgeon may still prefer the fold under the breast for better access to the capsule, and this is discussed beforehand. A lift adds a scar around the areola and vertically downwards. Old scars can sometimes be improved at the same time.

Risks of revision and realistic expectations

Every operation has risks and results vary. Revisions carry the general risks of surgery (bleeding, infection, blood clots and anaesthesia risks) and the specific ones of breast surgery: recurrent capsular contracture, malposition, asymmetry, rippling, changes in nipple sensation and wound-healing problems, particularly when a lift is added. Thin tissue after years of implant pressure limits what can be achieved.

The aim of revision is improvement, not perfection. Women who have had several previous operations should know that a further touch-up is possible. Honest planning, a licensed hospital, careful technique and good aftercare reduce the risks but cannot remove them.

Related procedures

Depending on your plan, revision may be combined with a breast lift with implants, fat transfer breast augmentation or a standard breast augmentation with new implants. After children, revision is sometimes part of a mommy makeover with a tummy tuck. The surgeon will suggest the simplest plan that meets your goal.

Travelling to Istanbul and how to start

Plan 5–7 days in Istanbul. Flights from the UK and Ireland take around four hours, and direct flights link Istanbul with several North American cities. Before you fly home the surgeon examines you; you leave with a discharge summary, operation details and, if new implants are placed, a new implant card. Share these with your GP.

When choosing a surgeon for revision, ask how often he performs secondary breast surgery, whether capsulectomy is planned and why, what will happen to the removed implants and how follow-up works. To start, send photos and any implant records on WhatsApp to +90 552 859 50 34 for a free assessment.

Questions about this topic

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