Sientra Is The First Breast Implant Manufacturer to Be Cleared by Health Canada In Nearly 20 Years

A recent announcement from Clarion Medical Technologies, introducing the Sientra High-Strength Cohesive Silicone Gel Breast Implant, piqued our interest. Sientra is the only brand of breast implants in Canada and the U.S. that is available exclusively from board-certified plastic surgeons, and the first breast implant manufacturer to be cleared by Health Canada in nearly 20 years. We chatted with Dr. Julie Khanna, plastic surgeon at ICLS in Oakville, Ontario, to learn more. —Vita Daily

For those who don’t know, what types of breast implants are currently available in Canada?

In Canada, we have two main types of implants. We have implants that are filled with salt water (saline) and implants that are filled with cohesive silicone gel (semi-solid silicone). Cohesive silicone gel implants are much softer, feel more natural and ripple less than saltwater implants which is why I almost exclusively use Cohesive silicone gel implants in my practice.

What are/have been some of the issues/complications associated with (different types of) breast implants?

Any surgical procedure, including breast implant surgery, involves potential risks. For example, the scar tissue wall that forms around an implant after surgery, called the capsule, can change in some patients, and become firm and hard. Implants can also move or rupture. Just as we age, so do implants. One of the reasons I like to offer my patients the newer Sientra High-Strength Cohesive Silicone Gel Breast Implants in my practice is they offer one of the lowest rupture rates of implants and they back it up with the longest and most comprehensive warranty.

We hear that Sientra, distributed by Clarion Medical Technologies, is the first new silicone gel breast implant manufacturer to be approved by Health Canada in nearly 20 years. Why is that?

Correct. Innovation in this category has been slow and before Sientra, there were only two silicone gel implant manufacturers in Canada. We must continue investigating, being critical and improving technology to better serve our patients. We have good implants, and now we have Sientra High-Strength Cohesive Silicone Gel Breast Implants with lower complication rates. They feature the latest generational gel technology, creating an implant that improves the way that the gel on the inside of the implant interacts with the silicone shell on the outside, leading to a lower rupture rate.

Aesthetically, what makes Sientra implants a good choice?

Good surgeons can do good surgeries with a variety of implants. What I like about Sientra implants is that they have a cohesive gel that is strong, but still soft to the touch.

What about this makes you, personally, as a plastic surgeon, excited?

My goal as a board-certified plastic surgeon is to decrease the complication rates as much as possible, which means adhering to the highest standards of operating procedures. Sientra is likeminded in that they’ve created a product with the goal of minimizing patient risk and reoperation.

Could you give your top three tips or best advice to anyone considering breast implants, in terms of how to choose the right implant for their personal needs.

1. Breast augmentation is very personal, and you and your surgeon should work together to tailor this operation to your needs.
2. Always go to a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certified plastic surgeon that works at an accredited facility.
3. Find a surgeon you can talk to because this is a long-term relationship.