Gel fracture means a split or fissure within a cohesive silicone gel filling. The implant shell may remain intact. It is therefore different from rupture of the shell.
Whether this change affects shape or causes symptoms needs to be assessed in relation to the specific implant and examination findings. Changes in the appearance of the breast can have various causes and do not, by themselves, prove a gel fracture.
Examining implant samples or photographs of results cannot reliably protect against this change. If it is suspected, product documentation, clinical findings and, where appropriate, imaging are considered when planning the next steps.