Quebec Doctors Default to Saline Breast Implants
It’s swimsuit time in North America, and across the continent the thoughts of women are turning to – breast implants. Canada is no exception. But even as thousands of Canadian women gear up for surgical enhancement, one plastic surgeon in Quebec is wondering if they’re getting enough information before doing so.
Dr. William Papanastasiou, who has practiced for more than 20 years, is concerned that his fellow Atlantic-side surgeons have fallen into complacency when scheduling breast enhancement surgery and failing to apprise patients of new implant products that might perform better.
Dr. Papanastasiou refers in particular to anecdotal industry figures indicating that more than half of all implants in Quebec are saline, compared with just 10 percent in the rest of Canada.
While demonstrably safe and effective, saline implants are a relatively old technology – and may have significant performance problems over the long term.
Saline implants are, after all, little more than round bags of salt water; their 10-year shelf life and tendency to harden, ripple at the sides, or otherwise lose their pleasing appearance are all disadvantages compared to cohesive silicone gel implants, a newer breast implant technology.
The filler material in silicone gel implants better mimics the consistency of natural breast tissue, and also retains a more natural shape.
Other physicians in Quebec agree, and theories as to why Quebec surgeons tend to stick with the tried-and-true saline implants are many. Some argue that gel implants are less popular in Quebec due to their higher cost — about $1,500 more Canadian dollars than saline implants. Others cite the increased complexity of the gel implant operation as a factor. And still others say that some Quebec surgeons have bad memories of the flawed liquid-silicone implants popular in the ’80s, which have been illegal in Canada since 1992.
For whatever reason, Quebecois surgeons continue to prefer saline implants, even as the preference for saline implants outside of Quebec is decreasing. On the west coast of Canada the saline/gel ratio is reversed – one Vancouver surgical practice reports that gel implants are now being used in some 80% of all breast enhancement procedures.
Both saline and gel implants are safe, and a board certified plastic surgeon can determine which type is best-suited for a patient, based on a number of factors. If you’re considering breast augmentation, make sure you discuss all available options with your doctor prior to making a decision.
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