Exploring the Financial, Psychological, and Operative Factors Associated with Implant Removal Satisfaction in Patients with Breast Implant Illness

Introduction

Breast implant illness (BII) is a poorly understood heterogeneous disorder that refers to patient-reported malaise, as well as a constellation off systemic symptoms that researchers, physicians, and patients have attributed to the placement of silicone breast implant (1). While some hypothesize that these symptoms are caused by an immune response towards silicone or one of the other chemical components of the implants, the pathophysiology of BII still remains unknown, and no diagnostic tests currently exist (2).

  Current studies report an outstanding rate of resolution, or at least improvement in symptomology after implant removal surgery (3-5). The downfall of this research is that they have lacked a rigorous, validated, patient-reported outcome measure to properly assess symptoms and outcomes following treatment (5). The purpose of this study was to utilize the most comprehensive patient-reported outcome (PRO) survey possible, in order to better understand and characterize patient quality of life (QoL) after seeking implant removal. We believe the BREAST-Q Reconstruction survey and ASAPS BII questionnaire are currently the best available resources to collect PRO data, and in turn provide more evidence-based care, and inform prospective patients, as well as prospective surgeons about the potential benefits and risks of breast implant removal surgery in this patient population.