Johnson & Johnson MedTech Launches Larger-Sized Breast Implants for Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction

Johnson & Johnson MedTech has announced the U.S. launch of MENTOR^TM Memory Gel^TM Enhanced Breast Implants, a new line of breast implants specifically developed for women undergoing primary or revision reconstruction after mastectomy. The implants, which received FDA approval in November 2024, offer an expanded size range—930 cc to 1445 cc—designed to meet the reconstructive needs of women with larger body frames or significant tissue removal. 

Prior to this release, implant sizes for post-mastectomy reconstruction topped out at 800 cc, limiting aesthetic outcomes and symmetry for a significant portion of patients.¹ The implants address the needs of approximately 15% of post-mastectomy patients who previously lacked access to appropriately sized implants for reconstruction.²

“Johnson & Johnson MedTech is delivering on our promise to make breast reconstruction more inclusive, supportive, and empowering for every woman,” said Alenka Brzulja, Worldwide President, Aesthetics & Reconstruction, Johnson & Johnson MedTech. “Too many women have been left without options that helped them achieve their desired outcomes. The availability of MemoryGel™ Enhance Implants brings us closer to addressing this gap – because every woman deserves access to reconstruction options that reflect her body and her goals.”

The new MemoryGel^TM Enhanced Implants retain the same proprietary gel formulation, softness, and shape retention as the existing MENTOR^TM product line. The implants are available in a broader array of base widths, projections, and volumes, allowing surgeons to tailor reconstruction more precisely to individual anatomy. 

These implants are part of the broader MENTOR^TM Enhanced Product Family, which also includes CPX^TM Plus Entrance Tissue Expanders and MemoryGel^TM Enhance Sizers, designed to support a seamless reconstruction experience. 

“Despite being a standard part of post-mastectomy care, reconstruction options have not kept pace with the diverse needs of today's patient population,” said Mark Migliori, M.D., FACS*, board-certified plastic surgeon in Edina, Minnesota, who performed the first procedure with the new implant. “For patients who require a larger-volume implant than what was previously available, they now have an option that helps them to become whole again.”

Clinical validation from the ongoing Athena Study, a 10-year prospective trial on breast implant safety and efficacy, supports the use of these larger volume implants, reporting 96% patient satisfaction and improvements in overall well-being.³

1. Barnow A, Canfield T, Liao R, et al. Breast Reconstruction Among Commercially Insured Women With Breast Cancer in the United States. Ann Plast Surg. 2018;81(2):220-227.
2. Howarth, Ashley & Rodriguez, Abigail & Gargya, Vipul & Lucas, Heather & Mahabir, Raman. (2017). Larger breast implants warranted for post-mastectomy reconstruction. Plastic and Aesthetic Research. 4. 215. 10.20517/2347-9264.2017.80.
3. Mentor Worldwide LLC. Three-Year Interim Clinical Study Report. April 2023.