Publication, Part of [MI] Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry
Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry - January to December 2023, Management Information
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25 June 2024 00:00 AM
Glossary of Terms
Glossary of Terms in BCIR
| Term | Definition |
| American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classification | A way of measuring patient fitness before surgery. |
| Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) | An uncommon type of cancer that is associated with breast implants. |
| Augmentation | Surgery to increase breast size. |
| Capsular contracture | Scar tissue around the implant tightening and squeezing the implant. This can cause distortion of the implant and may cause pain or discomfort. |
| Capsulectomy | Surgery to remove scar tissue that has formed around the implant. |
| Community Health Index (CHI) Number | Unique patient identifier, used in Scotland. |
| Dehiscence | A complication where a surgical incision reopens. |
| Device deflation | A change in the size or shape of the implant, usually with saline-filled implants. |
| Device malposition | When the implants are not in the correct position. |
| Device rupture | A split in the exterior casing of an implant. |
| Device(s) | A breast implant or tissue expander regulated by the MHRA. |
| Double capsule | A complication where there are 2 distinct capsular layers separated by an intercapsular space around an implant. |
| Explant | Surgery to remove a breast implant and not replacing it. |
| Extrusion | A complication where the surface of the implant or tissue expander comes through the skin and is exposed. |
| Flap cover | The use of skin and sometimes fat or muscle to cover a breast implant, following mastectomy. |
| General Medical Council (GMC) | The GMC is a public body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. |
| Haematoma | A blood clot in the breast implant cavity. This usually happens soon after surgery. |
| Health and Care (H&C) Number | Unique patient identifier, used in Northern Ireland. |
| Incisional negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device | A device that applies sub-atmospheric pressure to a wound to help the healing process. |
| Laterality | Right or left breast, or both. |
| Mastopexy - Concurrent | Surgery to correct drooping of the nipple - also known as a breast lift. Concurrent means the mastopexy took place at the same time as the implant surgery. |
| Medical tourist | A patient who has travelled from outside the United Kingdom for medical treatment. |
| Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) | The MHRA is an agency of the Department of Health and Social Care responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices are safe. |
| Mesh or Dermal Sheet | Can be used to support, strengthen and repair tissue in breast implant surgery. This is also a medical device. |
| Moribund | Near death. |
| National Health Service (NHS) Number | Unique patient identifier, used in England. |
| Operating (Provider) organisation | The hospital or clinic responsible for a patient's treatment. Also called 'Provider organisation'. |
| Operating site (location) | The place (e.g. address) where the operation was undertaken. A provider may have more than one operating site, and may use another provider's operating sites. |
| Peri-operative antibiotics | Antibiotics given before, during or after surgery. |
| Plane - Pre-pectoral | Implant placed on top of the pectoral muscle, directly under the skin. |
| Plane - Sub-flap | Implant placed under flap of muscle taken from patient's back following mastectomy. |
| Plane - Sub-glandular/fascial | Implant placed on top of the pectoral muscle/fascia, under the breast gland. |
| Plane - Sub-pectoral/dual plane | Implant placed partly under the pectoral muscle and partly under the breast tissue. |
| Provider organisation (Provider) | The clinic or hospital responsible for the patient’s operation. Also called operating organisation. |
| Reconstruction | Surgery to reconstruct the breast shape, often following mastectomy. It may be carried out at the same time as a mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or some time later (delayed reconstruction). |
| Replacement | Replacement of an implant or tissue expander for another implant. |
| Seroma | A collection of clear body fluid in the breast implant cavity. This usually happens weeks or months after surgery. |
| Silicone extravasation | The leaking of silicone from the inside of a breast implant. |
| Submitting organisation | The organisation which submitted the data to the registry. Submitting organisations may input data about operations taking place at other provider sites. |
| Tissue expander | An empty implant that is gradually filled with salt water over time. |
| Unique Device Identifier (UDI) | Unique number that identifies an implant, tissue expander or mesh. |
Last edited: 2 September 2025 12:09 pm