Breast implant removal --is it major surgery?

It can be.: If your implants are older silicone and have leaked or ruptured, there may be significant scar tissue or encapsulation to remove, and this can indeed be extensive surgery. If your implants are in tact, (either saline or silicone filled) with little surrounding scar tissue, their removal may be far more simple. You should consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to be properly evaluated.

No: Breast implant removal is a simple procedure that can be done with a little local anesthesia. If you need breast reshaping and/or lifting, you would need a bit more anesthesia and surgery.

Not necessarily: Removing breast implants is not a major surgery, however, you may require additional surgery to address loose skin that may remain. This will depend on how long the implants have been in and how large they are.

Can be: Simply removing implants when the breasts are asymptomatic is quick and easy often taking less than 15 minutes to perform. If implant capsules need to be removed the surgery can be considerably longer and more complicated.

Ruptured or not.: Removal of an uncomplicated saline or silicone implant can be simple and performed under a straight local anesthetic if a capsulectomy is not required. Severe capsular contractures, pocket transitions, delayed silicone ruptures, textured implants, etc can present with various clinical pictures that may be significantly more complicated and may require more extensive surgical procedures.

Generally, no: It really depends on the reason for removing the implants. A deflated saline implant is very easy to remove, and replace. Is leaking or broken silicone implant, can be more difficult. It also depends if the patient wishes to have the implants removed, or replaced as well. In general, even replacing them is an easier operation to undergo that the original one.

Surgery for implants: It is major surgery in the sense that you will need to go under anesthesia. However, the procedure usually takes about an hour, and the recovery time should be just a few days. You may or may not have drains which would need to removed 5-6 days later.

Usually Not.: Generally speaking, uncomplicated removal of breast implants tends to be a relatively simple procedure that is well tolerated and associated with less recovery time than initial breast augmentation surgery. However, if the procedure includes removal of ruptured gel implants and/or heavy/thickened breast implant capsule, the procedure can be more complicated and carries increased risks.