Robert Whitfield MD explains why MRI often misses posterior breast implant ruptures: the scan applies no pressure to the device, so small tears stay hidden. He doesn't trust a normal MRI result and operates the same way regardless of what imaging shows. Across over 500 explant procedures, he found two cancers, both with clear margins and no further treatment needed.
June 30, 2022
Over 500
Two
I will tell you it's hard to determine a posterior rupture even on mri.
Even a small one, because when you.
Start pushing it around and applying pressure to the device, what happens?
It squishes out.
But on mri you're never ever going.
To see this because you're not applying.
Pressure to the device. I mean, it can't squeeze out.
So if you came with an mri.
I would say that is great. You brought me your mri. I've read through it.
It says you have a rupture or you don't have a rupture. If you don't have a rupture, I.
Don'T believe the MRI because I've operated.
On people with normal MRIs who are ruptured.
If it says it has a rupture, for me, the plan is no different. I do the exact same thing because I either think you have a rupture.
Or, or you could have a cancer. So if you're already prepared for all those situations and you're treating everybody collectively.
The same way, where you're trying to.
Do a safe procedure to maximize their long term health by removing entire areas safely and effectively, then on the back.
End, when you're getting path reports back.
I anticipate all mine to be negative.
Clear margins if there's cancer, just like the patient I mentioned to you that.
Had a lymphoma, to date I've done.
Over 500 of these.
I have found two cancers. One was pre explant.
The patient went on to have mastectomies and I did the explant with the mastectomy surgeon at the time and the.
Reconstruction when I used to perform reconstructions.
And then the second patient who had.
A breast cancer was this lymphoma that we found, but the margins were completely clear because we did the procedure properly and did not violate the capsule in any way during the procedure.
So I felt very good for her.
After the fact that we were able to complete that effectively and she has no long term health consequences for that.
She doesn't require any further treatments. She's monitored annually and I see her annually as well.
