Since silicone breast implants have been re-introduced into the commercial marketplace in the United States in late 2006, most of the women seeking breast augmentation are not aware of the tremendous controversy with their predecessors fifteen years ago due to their age. Generally, only patients over the age of 40 would likely remember the tremendous publicity that surrounded silicone breast implants being banned by the FDA at that time.
Over the past fifteen years, much study has been done on the association of silicone breast implants, particularly ruptured implants, with autoimmune connective tissue disorders. In the December 2007 Supplement of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, a large scale literature review of all publications relating to these two topics with emphasis on findings stratified by breast implant rupture status was published. Numerous comprehensive reviews and updates of large epidemiologic studies have evaluated associations of breast implants and connective tissue diseases. None of them have ever found any credible association between silicone breast implants and any form of connective tissue disease to date. This has been known for some time and continued investigations, such as this one, continue to repeatedly report the same findings. What made this paper so unique was that it focused on those studies where the silicone breast implants were known to be ruptured, exposing the ‘offending agent’ directly to the bodies tissues.
They identified five such publications and reviewed them in detail in the article. In none of the studies were diseases or symptoms related to some form of connective tissue disease associated with breast implant rupture status. No credible evidence can be found that would support the concept of a ‘silicone-related disorder’ exists amongst breast implant patients, particularly those whose implants are known to be ruptured.
While this potential rheumatologic issue with silicone breast implants may never completely die in some minds, such a view does not currently hold up to scientific scrutiny. Investigations from around the worldwide on the topic provide overwhelming comfort for all women who have silicone breast implants or those that may be comtemplating breast implant surgery. While they are infrequent stories and internet websites in which patients report their ‘horrific’ experiences and alleged illnesses from breast implants surgery, confirmatory medical information is lacking to know the exact origin of their problems.
Dr Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana