My Research - Risks of Silicone filled breast
implants
My main concern about breast implants was the one that all newcomers
to the issue face, the threat sensationalized by the media coverage in or around 1992 that
silicone breast implants cause autoimmune and connective-tissue disease. Since the date
those reports of silicone risks hit the streets, numerous studies have been conducted
concerning the claimed adverse consequences of silicone. Those studies have
concluded that while there are localized risks associated with all breast implants, there
is no conclusive evidence to support the claims that formed the basis of litigation
against implant manufacturers over the past decade. Studies have been conducted by
groups at Harvard, the Mayo Clinic, and a host of well-renowned physicians from all over
the world and were published in such prestigious journals as the New England Journal of
Medicine. You can find the results of all of the studies, including the most
comprehensive review of all studies, conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM)
summarized in the information at the FDA website. The studies and the IOM report
have basically concluded that there was no association between connective tissue disease,
breast cancer and immune system deficiencies and silicone breast implants, although
studies continue.
Some doctors (and even more lawyers representing plaintiffs in class
actions against silicone implants) have criticized the above and similar studies, claiming
that the number of women studied is not significant enough to yield fair results.
According to these doctors and lawyers, there are very significant connective-tissue
diseases, which occur only in the range of 1 out of several thousand and that, because not
as many women were studied, the results are unreliable. Additionally, thousands of women
have complained about and sued manufacturers and their doctors over claimed adverse
results from implants. Their anecdotal evidence apparently drives the controversy despite
the lack of studies linking implants and disease conclusively. According to the
FDA’s report on Breast Implant Safety, published initially in 1995 and updated in
March of 1997 and as recently as the fall of 2000, studies have yet to confirm a link
between silicone and autoimmune or connective-tissue disease. Similarly, no link has been
made between silicone implants and breast cancer. The FDA report also notes, however, that
because so many women with implants are younger than the age at which breast cancer is
found to be prevalent, it may be premature to rule out risks of breast cancer from
silicone implants. You are encouraged to read all of the FDA information.
Based on the research outstanding at the time of my surgery, I was
satisfied that silicone implants did not pose the risks that had been raised in class
action litigation and the hype-driven media. Because of the FDA's decision, however,
silicone implants were not available to me and I continued my search with an emphasis on
saline implants.
