FYI - Cohesive Silicone gel CAN LEAK!
This is the rest of my Reddit Post on breast implant explant surgery. If you follow my GRS surgery story this will seem like business as usual concerning my healthcare IU-Health and Dr. Sidhbh Gallagher. We talk about BA, the surgeons who do them, and the aesthetics, but we rarely talk about when it's time to remove those implants for one reason or another. This is one of those times when removal was necessary.
This isn't a rant about convincing people to avoid implants. Have at it. Just understand, they aren't lifetime devices. It's critical that you keep an eye on their condition. If you notice any hardness at all, it's time to get them checked out.
UPFRONT: I'm telling you this story with the luxury of hindsight. I had no idea that these breast issues would lead to surgery that taking over 6-hours and result in the need for cancer, infection, and autoimmune testing that went on for weeks. I was unaware of any of the larger discussions over Breast Implant Illness or its detractors. I wasn’t even aware that my own implants had been recalled in 2019 over the possibility of a rare form of cancer called BII-ALCL. This was all new territory for me. As my capsular contracture, pain, and swelling around my breast continued to worsen, it became clear that I wasn’t getting anywhere.
So I turned to my Anthem Nurse Case Manager. She helped me find a surgeon in September and get the surgery approved. As a backup, I found a second surgeon who agreed to do the surgery just in case something fell through. And it did. I already had paid my max out of pocket for the year. I wasn’t anticipating any upfront payments, especially from a preferred Tier-one in-network provider. But, sure enough, that’s exactly what happened and they wanted 7k upfront to do the surgery. That wasn’t going to happen.
I moved on to the next Surgeon, Dr. Janet Turkle and Associates. With help from my Case Manager at Anthem, the surgery was approved. I had a surgery date the first week of December and for the 2nd time, took the time off work to recover. Everything was a go and I was relieved that I had found someone before the end of the year and my deductibles rolled back to Zero. I had an appointment with Dr. Turkle a week prior to my surgery date to fit new Allergan implants because the current ones had been recalled. When I showed up for the appointment, Dr. Turkle met with me for about 20 minutes. The entire time, all she did was try and convince me I should go somewhere else for surgery, telling me --she wasn’t the right surgeon for me. Next thing I know I’m talking to the Patient Coordinator who tells me --” You know that surgery date you had? You don’t have it anymore.” Her excuse was -- they gave my surgery date to someone else. I didn't argue or make a fuss, I just left.
Now it’s basically December and I don’t have anywhere else to turn to get this surgery done. I’ve taken the time off work and people were already scheduled to cover me so I’m stuck with the unpaid time off for the rest of the year. I feel completely desperate and screwed over by yet another surgeon.
[below] This is when I first got my breast implants from Dr. Cardenas. They were 450 CC's of bliss, I loved them. He did an awesome job. It was October 2005
Then the same breast became a little unruly and basically doubled in size over the next 15 years and this is where my latest adventure in finding healthcare in spite of my GRS surgeon, Dr. Gallagher, destroying my access to healthcare care to save her reputation.
All these breast issues start to the surface in the Summer of 2020. I can feel the capsular contractures tightening up. Overall my health feels compromised by fatigue although I never thought the issues were connected.
These pictures are from October 1st, 2020.
Below are some MRI Images proudly showing off my beautiful cohesive gel, anatomically correct, textured implants. They were 450CC'sand I plopped down my own money to get them. They are both ruptured. The MRI came after two mammograms and an Ultrasound.
The MRI revealed the cohesive gel implants had both ruptured and leaked silicone into my left breast. Oh, and when I looked up my implant information, it turns out, these were the Allergan 410 implants that had been recalled in 2019.
Trust me here. Having a radiologist tell you in her office that you have silicone in your lymph nodes is not the way you want to end your day. Especially when it wasn't really true. The danger in these implants is rare cancer associated with implants called BII/ALCL. They don't even recommend you have them removed unless you have problems.
Sure enough, I have problems as you can clearly see in the MRI Images below.
The bigger breast, my left one, had a Baker IV capsular contracture. It's also the one with the silicone cyst floating around by my lymph nodes. The other breast has a Baker II capsular contracture. It was determined that these needed to be removed as soon as possible because both implants were surrounded by fluid. The fluid was a signal that my body's immune system was now attacking the implants. No wonder I felt fatigued all the time --go figure.
I had this MRI and then like all expensive image testing the Radiologist send you a nice letter in the mail explaining what they found. But it gets even better. The next week I have the MRI. They gave me a copy of the images and told me I would hear from them on the finding. And I did. The letter below is what they sent.

I kid you not.
I have no idea what this typo-filled masterpiece, AKA my MRI breast results, are telling me other than they end their assessment with the word --"Immediately". I have nothing against poor spelling and typos, to be honest. I've elevated the art to new heights in some of my more frenzied moments. But dammit, I expect more when the information is coming from my Healthcare provider and it's information I need to act on. So, I "immediately" fire off an email to my PCP who, I'm told, also has a copy of this very letter. In a nutshell, he tells me not to worry about it but he's not really sure what it means either. Instead of finding out what it means, he downplays it because it's just a form letter and tells me I shouldn't worry about it.
Worry my ass. What the hell was I supposed to do? I'm locked out of getting a referral to a surgeon from my own Primary care doctor, thanks to Dr. Sidhbh Gallagher which means I have to start looking for someone locally to do Explant surgery AND take my insurance during the busiest time of the year for Plastic Surgeons.
This does not go well.
I'm basically canceled by two surgeons prior to my surgery dates which I had taken time off work for and couldn't do anything about. This stretched my time off work for the last 2 1/2 months of the year just waiting to have surgery. Once I had surgery, because of the seriousness of the 6-hour breast surgery and an additional revision on my bottom surgery I couldn't return to work until March 1st, 2021.
The MRI images are below.
The flaps you see below are my pectoral muscles. The replacements were put in over the muscle.
In mid-December, I end up here at the Cleveland Clinic desperate to get my ruptured implants out by the end of the year. Thanks to my insurance company - Anthem. I was also in-network.
I was lucky to have surgery with Dr. Bahar Bassiri Gharb. No amount of words can express how much I appreciate what Dr. Bassari did for me to get these implants replaced. At the time I had no idea just how much toxic sludge she was going to find during surgery. I found her engaging, helpful and thoughtful, and willing to work with the schedule I had. Plus, and this is key, She did a Mastopexy and reduced the size of my areolas without adding additional vertical incisions. And she listened to me and didn't use VICRYL sutures. I was scared to death of wound dehiscence based on my last three surgeries. I didn't have any from this surgery. None.
Before surgery Dec 30th, 2020
After surgery January 2021
Allergan Inspira, Cohesive Gel Round, smooth, implants 450CC and 485CC
Below is the link to a Youtube video from Dr. Bunkis at Orange County Plastic Surgery that shows an explant surgery that was very similar to my own According to my surgeon, Dr. B Bassiri, she emptied the same dark fluid from both of my breasts.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=S13GIgEKjK0&feature=share
Dr. Bunkis is a Harvard-trained board-certified plastic surgeon out of Newport Beach, CA. He has been in private practice for 35+ years and has patients from all around the world.
Three Weeks Post op Still have drains.
Four weeks Post-op
8 weeks post-op from explant surgery and reinsertion PLUS a Mastopexy with no additional incisions other than my reduced areolas. These scars fade well. I am extremely happy with the outcome - Feb 28th, 2021
The scars are already blending well. No wound Dehiscence!