Abstract
Capsular contracture or capsular fibrosis is the most common complication following breast augmentation with implants. Sonography is usually the initial imaging test performed to examine a suspicious implant. In contrast to the large number of patients developing capsular fibrosis there is only sparse literature reporting about sonographic findings. In this letter after a brief review of normal sonographic findings after breast augmentation, established ultrasound findings suggestive of capsular fibrosis (deformity, increased number of radial folds and thickening of the fibrous capsule) are discussed. The possible value of new techniques and possible directions for further research are addressed.
Riassunto
La contrattura capsulare o fibrosi capsulare è la complicanza più comune dopo un intervento di mastoplastica additiva. L'ecografia è di solito l’indagine iniziale eseguita per esaminare un impianto sospetto. A fronte del gran numero di pazienti che sviluppano tale complicanza c’è solamente poca letteratura che riporta studi ecografici sull’argomento. Dopo una breve rivisitazione dei quadri ecografici normali dopo mastoplastica additiva, in questa lettera vengono discussi i reperti ecografici tipici della contrattura capsulare (deformità, aumento delle aderenze, ispessimento della capsula fibrosa). Viene discusso anche il valore delle nuove tecniche e date eventuali direzioni della futura ricerca.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Gossner, J. Sonography in capsular contracture after breast augmentation: value of established criteria, new techniques and directions for research. J Ultrasound 20, 87–89 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-016-0225-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-016-0225-2