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Silicone Breast Implants
The safety of silicone gel-filled
breast implants has been debated for
years. On April 16, 1992, the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) banned
the use of silicone gel-filled
breast implants, except in very
specialized cases. This ban happened
after women with these implants
reported many serious health
problems. These are just some:
breast pain
fatigue
muscle pain
joint pain
hair loss
problems with walking, balance, and
seeing
memory loss
Fibromyalgia
chronic fatigue
Hashimoto's thyroiditis
Autoimmune-related thyroid disease
chronic pain
migraine headaches
aches
numbness and tingling in the calves,
toes, and fingers
facial paralysis
So for many years, silicone
gel-filled breast implants were not
available to the general public. On
October 16, 2003, an FDA advisory
panel recommended that the
government approve the use of
silicone gel-filled breast implants
under certain conditions:
Patients sign consent forms.
Doctors give brochures about breast
implants to patients.
Patients get regular exams to check
for leaks.
Patients get a physical exam and MRI
(a type of x-ray of the breast and
the implant) at five, seven, and
nine years after they get the
implants.
Inamed, the implant manufacturer,
retrieves and studies failed
implants and reports their findings
to the FDA.
Inamed sets up a toll-free phone
number for women with implants.
Inamed creates an education and
certification program for surgeons.
Inamed will track patients who have
breast implants.
On January 7, 2004, the FDA rejected
the advisory panel’s recommendation
and Inamed’s bid to put silicone
breast implants on the market at
this time. The FDA is going to
continue to review the safety of
silicone gel-filled breast implants.
Inamed plans to seek approval from
the FDA again.
Content Courtesy : www.4woman.gov
Note : Information herein is
provided for informational purposes
only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. You
should not use this information for
diagnosing or treating a medical or
health condition. If you have or
suspect you have a medical problem,
promptly contact your professional
healthcare provider. Please consult
your healthcare provider before
beginning any course of
supplementation or treatment.
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