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Case Reports
. 2022 Feb 28;10(2):e4146.
doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004146. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Breast Implant Illness and Cutibacterium acnes: A Case Report

Philip H McCarthy  1 , Nathaniel A Teitler  2 , Heidi H Hon  3 , Jason J Miller  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Breast Implant Illness and Cutibacterium acnes: A Case Report

Philip H McCarthy et al. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. .

Abstract

Breast implant illness (BII) is a term to describe a wide range of nonspecific symptoms after breast implant placement. At present, no specific diagnostic criteria for BII exist, and there is limited solid understanding of what causes BII. There is some evidence that biofilm infections such as those caused by Cutibacterium acnes may play a role in the development of BII. We present a case of a 38-year-old White woman who developed BII symptoms (psychological and integumentary). After en bloc explantation, her tissue cultures resulted in C. acnes growth. Plastic surgeons should be aware of this potential complication and discuss it thoroughly with patients before breast implantation. Evidence suggests that biofilm infection with C. acnes may play a role in BII development. En bloc explantation is the typical treatment of choice. Plastic surgeons should be aware of C. acnes as a potential cause of BII and should counsel patients on the potential risks and remedies for BII.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Typical thioglycollate broth medium.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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