Cutibacterium acnes in breast implants: an underestimated bacterial infection and review of the literature

Abstract

The role of bacteria and breast implant illness is an emerging area of interest for surgeons and clinicians. The most common cause of surgical readmission remains post-operative infectious complications. Cutibacterium acnes is an anaerobic, gram-positive organism that is part of the normal human microbiota. In certain circumstances, it may cause chronic infections and capsular contractures in breast implant-related complications. This case series outlines patients with bilateral capsular contractures and growth of C. acnes. The patients were managed surgically with the removal of bilateral breast implants with en bloc capsulectomy and oral antibiotics without complications. This report will outline the pathology of C. acnes, association with breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma and review of the literature.