A Case Series Study on Complications After Breast Augmentation with Macrolane™

The use of Macrolane seems to have several advantages compared to the other standard methods for breast augmentation: it is faster, less invasive and requires only local anaesthesia. Nevertheless, various complications associated to the use of Macrolane have been described, e.g. the finding of encapsulated lumps in breast tissue, infection and parenchymal fibrosis. The aim of this case series study is to report the results of the clinical and imaging evaluation of the patients who came to our attention after breast augmentation with Macrolane injection, in order to evaluate the influence of this treatment on breast cancer screening procedures. Between September 2009 and July 2010, seven patients, treated elsewhere with intramammary Macrolane injection for cosmetic purposes, presented to our institution complaining breast pain of different entity. In all patients, Macrolane was injected under local anaesthesia in the retro-mammary space, through a surgical cannula. On the mammography, nodules appeared as gross lobulated radiopacities with polycyclic contours. On breast ultrasound, they showed hypo-anechogenic cyst-like features. In all cases,