Silicone or Saline?

That has been the question since the introduction of the modern breast implants in the 1960′s. All the latest breast implants are made with a silicone shell. The difference is what is placed inside the shell to give the desired boost in breast volume.

The first breast implants were developed in 1962 by two Texas plastic surgeons Thomas Cronin and Frank Gerow with Dow Corning. These were smooth tear dropped shaped silicone implants filled with a cohesive silicone gel. They had a Dacron patch on the back to fix the orientation. This was necessary because they were smooth and could spin, thus losing the desired orientation.

Saline filled implants followed a few years later. A French plastic surgeon, Henri Arion, was the first to use them. He was trying to make an implant that could be placed through a smaller incision. Unlike silicone breast implants which are pre-filled, saline filled breast implants are filled after insertion. The shell can be inserted through a smaller opening without the risk of damaging the implant. A filling tube is left attached to add the desired volume. A valve built into the implant allows the tube to be removed without the saline leaking.

Since the mid sixties little has changed. The shells are more durable and less leaky. Texturing was added, eliminating the need for the Dacron patch for shaped implants. The cohesiveness of the silicone gel has been modified. The implants have received ongoing FDA approval and remain safe and effective for augmenting the breast.

Saline Breast implants

Saline-filled breast implants are filled with sterile saline (salt water). They come in both smooth and textured shells and can be round or anatomically (tear-drop) shaped. Saline breast implants are also available in low and high profiles, and in many sizes. A saline-filled breast implant is usually empty before implantation. The doctor moves it into place during your surgery, and then fills it. The saline is administered via a process that ensures the implants remain sterile.

Advantages

• Peace of mind for those who are unsure of silicone gel
• Leaks are easily detactable
• Increased projection when desired
• For purely cosmetic breast augmentation can be used at age 18
• Slightly lower capsular contracture rate

Disadvantages

• Higher risk of rippling
• More easily palpable (feels less natural in most cases)
• Stiffer result
• Slightly higher leakage rate

Silicone Gel Breast Implants

Silicone-filled breast implants are filled with a silicone gel. Over the years, the consistency of this silicone filling has changed. The first silicone breast implants were filled with a very thin, oily silicone. Currently, the silicone used in implants is a gel; making it less likely to leak out of the shell if it ruptures. This gel is referred to as “cohesive.” The FDA is currently reviewing clinical trial data on a highly cohesive silicone gel option called the gummy bear breast implant that has the consistency of a marshmallow or gummy bear.

In general, silicone-gel-filled implants are smoother, softer and feel more like natural breast tissue than their saline-filled counterparts. Silicone implants feel like a semisolid gel, while saline implants are often likened to water balloons. Silicone-gel implants are also less likely to wrinkle and ripple than saline breast implants. Wrinkling is actually considered one of the major disadvantages of saline implants. The thinner the woman and the less breast tissue she has, the more likely the saline implants crinkles and wrinkles will be felt and even seen.

If a saline implant ruptures it typically deflates within four hours. Silicone ruptures, on the other hand, can be silent. As a result, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams of your breasts are needed three years postoperatively, then every two years.

Advantages

• Softer more natural feel
• Lower risk of rippling
• Decreased projection when desired
• Moves more like a natural breast
• More profiles (shapes) available

Disadvantages

• Leaks are harder to detect
• Slightly higher capsular contracture rates
• Body makes scar in response to a leak
• For purely cosmetic breast augmentation can be used at age 22 or older in the USA
• Unexplained Illnesses

Natrelle Style 410 Highly Cohesive Breast implants (Gummy Bear Implants) come in 16 basic shapes, and each shape comes in many sizes.

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About Nagor

Nagor is the only British manufacture of silicone breast implants with facilities situated in Ashby De La Zouche in central England and Cumbernauld Scotland, employing 125 highly skilled and dedicated people.

Nagor products are designed, developed and manufactured in facilities compliant with the ISO 13485 standards and requirements demanded for class III sterile breast implant medical devices. Products manufactured in our Cumbernauld facility are currently going through the (FDA) process of Pre Market Approval (PMA ) which will enable us to sell Nagor breast implants into The United States. Of course Nagor’s products are manufactured under a quality management system in accordance with ISO and EN requirements and have CE mark certification.

Such attention to detail has seen Nagor develop a comprehensive and respected international reputation of product reliability, durability and efficacy founded on a 30 year history of customer satisfaction that has led to an extensive and continually expanding world-wide network of distributor ‘partners’ in over sixty countries.

Nagor is currently sponsoring a multicentre Prospective Post Market Clinical Study to collect data on the long term safety and performance of its gel-filled breast implants. Over 500 patients are participating in this UK study and are being followed up for 10 years.

Nagor Breast Implant Features

Barrier Layer:

All Nagor implants are manufactured with a high performance silicone elastomer to enhance shell integrity and have a unique 360° degree barrier layer to minimise gel diffusion.

Texturing:

Nagotex® is the unique silicone shell surface designed to encourage tissue adherence to promote a clean interface for a more secure fit.

Choice:

Nagor’s comprehensive range of breast implants offers surgeons 249 options in round and anatomical configurations. Saline implants are on a made to order basis.

Nagor Saline Breast Implant Features

• Choice of Profiles and Sizes
• Smooth Surface
• Textured Surface

Nagor Silicone Gel Implants

CoGel Features

• Nagotex® Textured Surface
• 360° Degree Barrier Shell Technology
• 9 Different Cells with 90 Different Variations
• 3 Variable Heights
• 3 Variable Projections
• Form Stable High Cohesive Silicone Gel-fill
• A Unique Preoperative Planning System for Greater Precision and Custom Fitting

Impelo Features

• NagotexTM Textured Surface
• 360° Degree Barrier Shell Technology
• Extensive Choice of FullyFilled Profiles and Sizes
• 38 Implant Options
• Soft Form Stable High Cohesive Silicone Gel

GFX Features

• NagotexTM Textured Surface
• 360° Degree Barrier Shell Technology
• Extensive Choice of Profiles and Sizes
• 56 Implant Options
• High Performance Cohesive Silicone Gel

RGI Features

• Smooth Surface
• 360° Degree Barrier Shell Technology
• Extensive Choice of Profiles and Sizes
• 48 Implant Options
• High Performance Cohesive Silicone Gel

Nagor Product Catalogue click here

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Silicone Gel-Filled Breast Implants

Eurosilicone Gel-Filled Breast Implants are available in an extensive range of volumes and profiles.

The Matrix : Anatomical Gel-Filled Breast Implants

Features:

• 9 different cells with 90 different variations
• A unique preopeartive planning system
• Variable heights
• Variable projections
• Natural Cohesive Gel
• Shell: Cristalline Textured
• Paragel 360° Barrier Layer

Round Collection : Silicone Gel-Filled Breast Implants

Features

• 11 different profiles with 219 variations
• 5 Variable projections
• Shell: Smooth or Cristalline Microtextured
• Silicone gel: Soft Cohesive or Natural Cohesive
• Paragel 360° Barrier Layer

Natural Cohesive Design Textured Shell

Soft Cohesive Design Textured Shell

Soft Cohesive Design Smooth Shell

Eurosilicone Product Catalogue click here  

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Breast Implant Manufacturers & Surgical Products

Listed below are companies that produce or did produce Breast Implants & Surgically related products.

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