There is no consensus on the timing of breast implant monitoring in Canada. The answer will depend on the indication for breast implantation (augmentation vs. reconstruction) and the type of implant that the patient has.
For saline implants, monitoring is probably not necessary as any malfunction of the implant will be detected by the patient right away with deflation of the implant. However, if a patient has a silicone implant, then implant leak can occur “silently”. I would advise that the patient who undergoes implant surgery have a thorough physical examination with her surgeon every year and if there are any concerns, then the surgeon will order the appropriate breast imaging.
