Breast Implant Illness

DR ROMANO CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR TREATMENT OF BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS

Read this section very carefully if you have any interest or concerns about Breast Implant Illness or BII. Dr Romano has been treating this condition and these patients with thoughtfulness for many years and with great success in his CENTER OF EXCELLENCE for treatment of BII. Dr Romano offers an entry point and center of excellence for women with breast implant related issues. This involves education, imaging, examination, testing, surgery, pathology analysis and follow up. His patients think of this as a complete “breast implant check-up”.

BII is nothing new, especially to Doctor Romano. His key to success has been based upon:

1. Always listen to the patient, as your symptoms and concerns are always right
2. Always treat the patient and her anatomy and her expectations
3. Do not treat lab tests, use them as a guide or additional data point
4. Always be up to date on the current best medical-surgical practice
5. Customize the treatment for the patient and her expectations
6. Provide excellent pre and post op care and education

For as long as there have been silicone implants, now dating back to 1963, there have been issues arising that the plastic surgery community has often felt are directly or indirectly related to silicone. Doctor Romano has been treating these patients for the entirety of his career and wanted to take this opportunity to describe the history and evolving status of BII.

Doctor Romano teaches patients that BII has two categories. The first is functional and physiologic. The second is cosmetic. The first is harder to conclusively diagnose and to treat. But this does not in any way prevent treatment and, most often, cure. The second, cosmetic, is much more straightforward and ultimately treatable. The two often overlap but can be mutually exclusive in patients.

Patients with the symptoms of BII may have some or no cosmetic issues related to the breast implants. Patients with cosmetic problems from breast implants may have some or no symptoms. This does not create more difficulty as it all becomes what you want to do with the implants. Dr. Romano always acknowledges that any symptoms should be considered related to breast implants, or at least, until proven otherwise.

Once a patient presents with BII or any concern related to the implants the procedure becomes quite straightforward:

1. What are your concerns and symptoms?
2. How do you feel about your breast implants, and do you want these
3. Create a plan
4. Counsel the patient about the options, outcomes, and what to expect

Doctors and patients do not need to overthink or over-analyze this. It mostly distills down to; do we need any testing, do we remove the implants, what will be the cosmetic result, and what can you expect going forward.

Dr Romano will be sensitive to your concerns and guide you through all of this.

For more details on the above and any peer review journal references, please call or visit the office of Dr. James Romano. 415-981-3911.