Review of Early Signs of Breast Implant Infection.

[BACKGROUND] Breast implant infection remains a problem despite various prevention methods. Common pathogens such as staphylococcus aureus typically present acutely with fever, erythema, swelling, and pain. However, with the increasing occurrence of mycobacterial infections, associated early signs and symptoms are typically absent, making early detection difficult.

[METHOD] A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent esthetic breast augmentation by senior surgeon FDP in an outpatient surgical facility from 1992 to 2021 was conducted. Cases of infections and related information including infection onset, presenting signs and symptoms, and culture results were recorded. Presentation differences between infections caused by common pathogens and mycobacteria were compared.

[RESULTS] A total of nine infections were reported in 365 patients. Seven cases were due to common pathogens: staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and staphylococcus epidermidis. Fever, erythema was presented within an average of 10 days after surgery. Two cases were due to mycobacterium chelonae (non-tuberculous mycobacterium) infection. In the latter, the earliest signs and symptoms consisted of mild pain and swelling in the absence of fever and erythema, which began on average of 54 days after the operation.

[CONCLUSION] Common breast implant infection pathogens usually present early with fever and erythema. However, our study found that non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections occur much later and fever and erythema are typically absent. The purpose of this study is to increase the awareness of clinicians with this rare but rapidly increasing variety of infections and to advise the operating surgeon to include mycobacteria infections in the differential diagnosis.

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