Breast Implant Removal

Often, you’ll hear the terms “En Bloc” and “Total Capsulectomy” used interchangeably. The two are extremely similar but not completely the same. With Total Capsulectomy, your breast implant and all the capsules will be removed, however, not always at the same time. Sometimes, depending on the situation, your doctor will cut the scar tissue capsule and then remove the implant. Once the implant is removed they will then go back and remove all remaining scar tissue or capsules.

With En Bloc Capsulectomy, the implant is removed simultaneously with the capsule while it’s still encapsulated inside the scar tissue.

When you sit down with your doctor for an initial breast implant removal Charlotte consultation, your surgeon will walk you through all of your possible options. It’s also important to note that an En Bloc removal may not be possible in all surgical cases, but it’s certainly something you can discuss with your surgeon.

For women who may be suffering from breast implant illness, the full implant can be removed during a safe, outpatient procedure. During that procedure, the scar tissue or capsule that surrounds the implant may also be removed. If you recently had your breast implant surgery, you probably will not have as much of a capsule around the implant as someone who had breast surgery five or 10+ years ago. With any breast implant removal surgery, you do have a few options that your plastic surgeon will go over with you during your consultation.

The removal of your implant, also known as an “explant” or “explantation surgery”, may be done in the form of an En Bloc Total Capsulectomy.

During an En Bloc Total Capsulectomy, your surgeon will remove every part of the scar tissue, also known as the capsule, with the breast implant. This kind of removal process is desired especially if you have older implants. Some patients believe that removing your implants and capsules via En Bloc helps prevent chemicals and other man-made materials from entering into your body. However, the tradeoff is that you may require larger incisions than you would with a traditional total capsulectomy.

Breast implant removal in Charlotte, NC, is an outpatient procedure requiring someone to bring you to the facility and take you home. The type of anesthesia used, IV sedation or general anesthesia, is determined by your doctor and anesthesiologist. With two decades of service, Carolina Anesthesia Associates administers the anesthesia at Charlotte Plastic Surgery.

The surgeon makes an incision in your breast to access the implant and scar tissue. Depending on the chosen method, total capsulectomy or en bloc, the doctor removes the implant and scar tissue separately or together. After extraction, the incision is closed, and you'll recover in the designated area until the anesthesia wears off and you wake up.