Breast implant extrusion related to Herpesviridae

INTRODUCTION: We present a case of wound dehiscence in a patient with clinical features of herpes zoster. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 44 year old woman, with a history of recurrent herpes zoster infection, presented to the accident and emergency department with the extrusion of a left sided tear-drop shaped euro-silicone breast implant from an old surgical scar. A month prior to admission, this patient had developed unilateral crops of vesicles along the surgical scar which was apposing her left infra-mammary fold. This was preceded by fatigue and neuralgia. Histology revealed acute inflammation related to a probable Herpesviridae infection. DISCUSSION: In this report we discuss the first case of a viral infection predisposing to a wound dehiscence occurring in an old surgical scar. CONCLUSION: This case report illustrates the real but rare possibility of recurrent herpes zoster causing gradual thinning of an old surgical scar. This resulted in an extrusion of the underlying breast implant.