Treat Capsular Contracture after Breast Augmentations Without Surgery

Dr. Jed Horowitz has always been a proponent of investing in the latest technology to improve the outcome for his patients. So it just made sense to Dr. Horowitz to invest in a system that can help his patients after surgery to have a quality healing process. At Dr. Horowitz’s practice breast augmentation is the most popular procedure among his patients and he has many happy patients develop those shapely curves they’ve always wanted.

As with any surgery there are always small potential for complications that can occur post surgically. One of the rare but significant complications is Capsular Contracture. As part of the normal breast augmentation healing process, the body forms a capsule, or tissue lining around the breast implants. Normally, this lining is flexible, soft and barely noticeable by touch or appearance. In a small percentage of patients, this capsule hardens and contracts around the implant-this is called “capsular contracture.” When this happens, the breast can look and feel unnaturally round and hard or higher than the other breast. In some cases, the condition can be painful.

There are many theories as to why this capsular contracture occurs. The most likely contributing factors are:

1. Low grade infection (usually without other signs of infection such as fever, drainage or redness)
2. Hematoma (bleeding after surgery around the implant). Occasionally, however, patients who’ve had prior breast augmentation or have had experience a condition called capsular contracture.

For years most surgeons have primarily treated capsular contracture with another surgery called a capsulectomy that replaces the affected implant. Now, Dr. Horowitz office has a New Non-Surgical Solution for their patients where Capsular contracture can be successfully treated, in his office to restore an aesthetically pleasing shape and appearance to their patient’s breasts.

Non-Surgical Treatment via the Aspen Multi-Energy System & Therapy program

The Aspen Ultrasound System is a unique non-invasive treatment that combines deep sound wave therapy (ultrasound) with targeted massage to help painlessly break up the excess scar tissue and release the capsule. For patients with mild to moderate cases of capsular contracture, this treatment can help relieve pain and hardness and help the breast implant assume a more natural position without having to undergo the expense, recovery time, and risks of a second surgery.

In our experience, about 80% of our patients experience noticeable improvements after Aspen Ultrasound System treatment. For patients who are deemed good candidates, we will typically recommend this non-invasive approach first.

Breast Implant Revision Surgery

For some patients, breast revision surgery will yield the best results. During a procedure to correct capsular contracture, a surgeon will take out the old breast implants, remove the hardened scar tissue, or “capsules,” and place new implants. As such, revision surgery is usually the better option for women who wish to change their implant size or type at the same time, as well as those who have more advanced cases of capsular contracture.

For patients who do require surgical intervention, the Aspen Ultrasound System can be used as a post-surgical therapy to reduce the recurrence of the capsular contracture.

If you have questions or suspect you may have capsular contracture, we encourage you to contact us. This is not a condition you should live with, and Dr. Horowitz will help you understand your treatment options at a free personal consultation.