Follow up after breast reconstruction

[Joyce44]

A two-part question about follow-up with implants. 1)I have bilateral implants (combination saline/silicone) done after mastectomies for breast cancer. My gyn. and oncologist continue to routinely ordered mammograms. I don't know anyone else in my situation who still gets mammograms. My breast cancers were in 1976 and 1979 so it seems unlikely that I would have the kind of recurrence that could be picked up by the mammograms. I worry about unnecessary exposure to radiation. 2)Also I wonder about the replacement of implants. Mine have been in place over 20 years. What is the "life" of an implant?  Is it a good idea to have them replaced now before they cause trouble? One was replaced within the first year or so. Thanks.

[Joyce44]

Thank you for your response.  It hasn't made sense to me either to continue mammograms - but something that just became routinely ordered. Early on after my mastectomies and reconstruction, I did have two lumps in the skin area biopsied.  Both were benign. Again, thanks for your input.

[surgeon]

It's true the radiation exposure is minimal and not a worry; it's also true that mammography makes little sense in your situation. If recurrance were to occur, it would most likely be easily feelable in the skin. And it's pretty unlikely to happen at this point.

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear joyce44, The radiation risk of mammography is considered to be negligible or nonexistent, particularly referring to screening mammograms done yearly after age 35.

The risk of leakage or rupture of an implant increases the longer an implant is in place.  Some reports suggest that the rate of rupture is as high as 55% 10 to 15 years after surgery.  As a result, some plastic surgeons recommend that implants be replaced every 10 years.  Rupture of an implant is usually diagnosed by seeing a change in the size, shape or consistency of the implant.