BIA-ALCL – A Rare Condition Associated With Textured Implants

Posted On: April 04, 2018 Author: The Office of Dr. Stuart Linder Posted In: ALCL, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

Breast implants can be placed either smooth or textured. In our office, we prefer and have only used smooth silicone implants and saline implants over the last 20 years.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an extraordinarily rare condition, and it has been getting a lot of news coverage lately. This is a T-cell lymphoma and is most commonly associated with textured silicone gel implants. It is a very rare and treatable type of lymphoma. It may be associated with unilateral swelling of the breast with fluid forming around the implant, which may cause pain, unevenness, asymmetry, and lumps within that breast.

If you feel an asymmetry with increased swelling of one breast and you are not certain as to whether you have textured or smooth implants, an ultrasound-guided aspirate and cytology of the fluid may be conducted to determine the rare diagnosis of ALCL.   

The treatment for ALCL is associated with an open capsulectomy, which is the removal of the textured silicone implant with drain placement. Cytology of the fluid is normally conducted to determine the diagnosis of ALCL. According to FDA estimates and per Allergan Pharmaceuticals, five to 10 million women worldwide currently have implants. The incidents of ALCL are approximately .003 percent of all the women in the United States with textured implants.