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Scissors, suture needles cause striations, silicone implant rupture in implant shells

Researchers determined that scissors and suture needles are the only surgical instruments which cause striations in silicone breast implants.

A variety of textured and smooth silicone gel implants were intentionally damaged with a variety of surgical instruments. Various tools ranging in fineness were used to create full-thickness injuries in the implant shell.

Next, researchers used optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to image the damaged area and determine any patterns of injury.

Full-thickness striations could be seen with damage caused by scissors, according to researchers.

The fineness of scissors used correlated directly with the density of the striations.

Injuries from scalpels caused no striations.

The researchers concluded that the difference in injury type can assist in distinguishing between scissors versus scalpel injury of an implant shell. – by Abigail Sutton

Disclosure: Rapp reported no relevant financial disclosures. For a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures, please see the full study.