Blog Article
Posted on January 6th, 2012 in
Breast Surgery
The French
breast implants manufacturing scandal has made waves from Paris to Caracas, but according to industry groups, American women who received
breast implants within the U.S. have nothing to fear from the ongoing scandal over defective breast implant devices manufactured by Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP).
Women around the world were shocked last month with the discovery that PIP had released implants filled with industrial silicone, rather than the medical-grade fillers mandated under law, as a cost-saving measure.
These implants pose a greater risk for rupture, while the health effects of industrial silicone remain uncertain. French authorities promptly issued a recall notice to the 30,000 Frenchwomen who had the devices implanted over the past decade.
What About the United States?
While PIP exported to numerous countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela, its silicone gel-filled implants were
never approved for use in the U.S. A
recent press release from pharmaceutical giant Allergan indicates that the company’s
breast implants use only medical silicone. However, American women who received
implants abroad may have received PIP implants.
What Comes Next?
The effects of industrial-grade silicone on the human body have never been tested, although many have argued that the only result will be that the implants are more likely to rupture. Fears of a greater cancer risk remain unsubstantiated. In medical-grade silicone implants, ruptures can cause scar tissue, inflammation, and irritation. As well, it’s more difficult to remove an implant that has ruptured.
Venezuela has followed France’s lead in offering to foot the bill for removal, although the cost of replacements will not be handled at government expense. The U.K. has advised against removal, although Tim Goodacre, the president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons has called for PIP implants’ removal on the grounds of continued uncertainty. Other countries are likely to develop strategies in the coming weeks.
