Factors predictive of quality of life after silicone-implant explantation

Medical records of 180 patients who underwent silicone gel-filled breast implant explantation were retrospectively reviewed. The goal of this study was to determine if any patient variable(s) had predictive value for positive quality of life after explantation. The medical complaints, symptoms, and established diagnoses were considered equally and were referred to as self- reported medical problems. The study revealed that no single problem or pairing of problems was associated with or predictive of outcome. The results show, however, that the number of medical problems was significantly predictive of patient perception of quality of life. A total of 50 explantation patients completed quality-of-life surveys. Specifically, those patients who reported five or fewer medical problems that predated explantation were significantly more likely to perceive an increased quality of life after surgery than those who reported nine or more medical problems (p < 0.04). In conclusion, it is difficult to correlate subjective patient symptoms with postoperative improvements in quality of life after explantation.