Single-Institution Early Experience With a New, Smooth, Opaque, and Round Breast Implant Over a 2-Year Period

Abstract

Background: The ideal breast implant does not exist and the choice of implant for breast augmentation is largely based on what surgeons think will be best for their patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the preliminary results of a new, smooth, round, and opaque breast implant (PERLE, GC Aesthetics; Dublin, Ireland) from a single-center UK aesthetic practice.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing breast implant surgery with PERLE at the authors' center between January 2021 and December 2022. Outcomes data such as rates of capsular contracture, infection, revision surgery, and synchronous mastopexy were analyzed.

Results: Of the 385 patients identified, 374 (97.1%) had PERLE implants placed by 3 surgeons for primary (n = 290) and secondary breast augmentation (n = 21), and augmentation-mastopexy (n = 63). Capsular contracture occurred in no cases, infection in 1 (0.2%), and revision surgery in 21 patients (5%). The incision used was always submammary, unless a synchronous mastopexy was performed; implants were placed in the subglandular/subfascial plane in the majority of cases (85.3%), and the rest were dual plane (14.7%). Eight revisions were performed in patients undergoing breast augmentation (due to implant displacement in 6 patients, and hematoma and infection in 1 patient each). Fourteen revisions were performed in those undergoing augmentation-mastopexy. The average follow-up time was 18 months.

Conclusions: The authors' early, single-center experience with PERLE implants suggests a safety profile and overall complication rate that is comparable with other modern implants. They will continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of PERLE and discuss the reasons and evolution in the choice of breast implant.

Figure 1.

Radiofrequency chip visible on chest X-ray (highlighted by arrows).

Figure 2.

Representative results in a 32-year-old female patient following subglandular breast augmentation with 280 cc moderate (MR) profile PERLE implants (GC Aesthetics) through a submammary incision: (A) preoperative and (B) postoperative (at 6 months) views.

Figure 3.

Representative results in a 36-year-old female patient following augmentation-mastopexy with 340 cc moderate (MR) profile PERLE implants (GC Aesthetics) with a mastopexy/reduction approach: (A) preoperative and (B) postoperative (at 6 months) views.

Figure 4.

Illustrative example of a 42-year-old female patient who underwent augmentation-mastopexy with subsequent drifting of the implant inferiorly and laterally from tissue stretch requiring revision mastopexy and pocket adjustment: (A) preoperative (at 6 weeks after the index procedure) and (B) postoperative (at 6 weeks after the revision procedure) views.