Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study of Implant Age, Pocket Plane, Incision, Surface Texture, and Volume as Predictors of Clinically Significant Capsular Contracture
brief summary
This prospective breast implant surveillance cohort will evaluate whether implant age, pocket plane, incision route, surface texture, and volume predict clinically significant capsular contracture. Women with Baker grade I or II aesthetic implants at enrollment will undergo standardized annual assessments for up to five years. The primary outcome is time to incident Baker grade III or IV contracture. Progression, pain, imaging, treatment, and patient-reported outcomes will also be described.
detailed description
Women with aesthetic breast implants and no clinically significant contracture at cohort entry will be enrolled into a dynamic surveillance cohort. Operative and device information will be verified from records. Trained assessors will apply a locked Baker grading protocol annually, supported by photographs, symptom assessment, and imaging. Suspected incident Baker III/IV contracture will undergo independent confirmation and operative verification when available. Delayed-entry survival models will estimate the independent effects of implant age, plane, incision, texture, and volume while accounting for bilateral implants and competing implant removal.