Service
Breast implant removal (explantation)
Explantation removes implants without placing new ones. It is done at the patient's wish, because of complications or for health reasons. It can be removal alone or removal with breast reconstruction.
What concerns does it address?
What happens to the breast?
After removal the breast returns to the volume of its own tissue, and the skin that was stretched over the implant remains. With smaller implants and good skin this is often enough; with larger ones the skin becomes loose, so a lift is done, and the volume can be made up with your own fatty tissue.
With reconstruction
Removal with reconstruction combines removal of the implant and the capsule with a breast lift and, where needed, fat transfer. Part of the volume can be restored by transferring your own fatty tissue into the fatty tissue of the breast and into the chest muscle; fat is not transferred into the gland itself, because of possible changes in the tissue that later make examination more difficult. What is needed becomes clear at the examination.
When is the procedure not suitable?
Removal without reconstruction is not planned when it is clear that the breast will be left empty and sagging afterwards and the patient does not want that — a lift or fat transfer is then planned straight away. With an infection around the implant it is removed immediately, and whether a new implant is placed is decided once the breast has healed. A decision to remove because of fear of old implants is best made after an examination, not under pressure — one mistake is not corrected with another.
General reasons for postponing a procedure (pregnancy, breastfeeding, inflammation, a clotting disorder, smoking): When is a procedure postponed?
Anaesthesia
Before a procedure under general or regional anaesthesia, you are seen by the anaesthetist, who works full time at the clinic; the same doctor is also present during the procedure. The anaesthetic assessment and the anaesthesia for larger operations are included in the price of the procedure. What happens before, during and after anaesthesia is described on the Anaesthesia page.
Risks
Occasional — a collection of fluid, loose skin that calls for a lift later.
Expected, and rare but serious → Risks and complications: what is the course of healing, and what is a complication?
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Explantation (implant removal) without additional corrections | €1,500–2,000 |
| Explantation with breast reconstruction | €3,500–5,000 |
Specialist and team
Specialty: plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
When the procedure is done under sedation or general anaesthesia, the anaesthesia is led by a specialist in anaesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care who works full time at the clinic.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon is assisted by head nurse Martina Šereg, with the help of nurses Kristina Jurešić and Mateja Tomorad, and in recovery the care assistant Mirjana Kovačić is with you. Martina also looks after preparation, scheduling and contact after the procedure.
Who will operate is decided at the examination, based on the findings and the type of procedure. You know the name of the surgeon before the procedure and meet them at the examination.
What happens at the examination?
The first examination lasts 30 to 45 minutes on average. The surgeon examines the area you are concerned about, asks about illnesses, medicines, allergies and previous operations, and talks with you about what you expect. If the procedure is appropriate and likely to help, you receive a plan: which procedure is proposed, under which anaesthesia, what recovery looks like and what is included in the price. If the procedure is not needed or would not give you what you expect, you will hear that at the examination too.
What if the result is not as agreed?
The result of a procedure is assessed at a follow-up visit, once the swelling has gone down and the scar has matured, not in the first weeks. If it differs from what was agreed at the examination, the same surgeon carries out the correction.
→ Poliklinika Barbel's correction policy
In the same visit
- Breast lift — after removal the breast is smaller and emptier, so a lift is often done in the same procedure.
- Breast augmentation — where needed, the empty space is filled with your own fatty tissue, in the same procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Is the capsule removed too? The capsule around the implant is removed when it is thickened or tight, or if there is a reason to analyse it; a thin, soft capsule is sometimes left, because removing it needs a larger procedure. This is decided at the examination and during the operation.
Why is an implant of unknown origin removed? Because it is not known when it was made, how it was stored or whether it was registered, and without documentation there is no warranty either. Implant without documentation, rupture and warranty → Breast implants
Can I have implants placed again later? Yes. If they are removed because of infection, a new one is placed once the breast has healed, usually after a few months. If they are removed because you chose to have them out, re-implantation is possible whenever you decide.
How much does the result depend on care after the procedure? The larger the procedure, the more it depends on it, but it always does. Healing takes weeks and months and happens almost entirely at home, so the instructions you receive when you go home, about the wound, physical activity and the scar, are part of the procedure, not a recommendation.
Medical review: doctors of Poliklinika Barbel · October 2026.