Arlington Heights, Ill. — A newly updated algorithm can help plastic surgeons better manage patients with breast lumps or swelling after breast augmentation — a crucial tool in allaying worries following the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) statement linking breast implants to anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), Medical News Today reports.
The algorithm appears in the online Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The algorithm “specifically addresses additional diagnosis and management alternatives for management of seroma in breast augmentation patients that may relate to lymphoproliferative disorders or ALCL,” wrote Dallas plastic surgeon John B. Tebbetts, M.D.
In the article, Dr. Tebbetts presents an updated algorithm for diagnosing and managing seromas after breast augmentation surgery. According to Medical News Today, the update was prompted by reports of ALCL and other lymphoproliferative disorders developing in women who have undergone breast augmentation — following which the FDA issued a statement warning of “a very small, but increased risk” of ALCL in women with breast implants.
Since that statement, according to Medical News Today, plastic surgeons and their patients have been seeking a rational approach to diagnosis and treatment of lumps or swelling associated with breast implants.
In developing the updated algorithm, Dr. Tebbetts’ goal was to “increase awareness and vigilance” for the possibility of ALCL as physicians evaluate fluid collections occurring six months or longer after breast augmentation. He writes that the algorithm can serve as a framework for discussion, helping patients make an informed decision regarding their treatment options.
According to Medical News Today, the algorithm will be further updated as more information emerges regarding the link between breast augmentation and ALCL.
