Silicone Gel Bleed on Breast Implants

Silicone is a polymer widely used for medical purposes, including breast implants. The aim of this work is to verify the occurrence of silicone gel diffusion through the lining membrane (bleed) of gel breast implants with smooth, textured, and polyurethane foam coated surfaces, sterilized by dry heat and ethylene oxide. The results enable us to conclude that there is significant difference for the bleed results among gel breast implants of smooth, textured, and polyurethane foam coated surfaces in relation to the bleed test. The bleed results for implants sterilized by dry heat and ethylene oxide also show significant difference. These results suggest that the gel diffusion through the lining membrane is related to the type of gel breast implants, as well as to the sterilization method. It means that polyurethane foam coated surface breast implant shows less gel diffusion than textured and smooth breast implants and breast implants sterilized by dry heat show less gel diffusion than those sterilied by ethylene oxide.