We are all familiar with the reputation and controversy surrounding silicone implants. Many women have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of such implants and have claimed to contract connective tissue disorders and other illnesses as a result of silicone gel implants. The truth is that there are no known causes for connective tissue disorders, whether occurring in a woman with or without silicone gel breast implants, or any other type of breast implant, for that matter. Multiple research studies in the United States and Canada conducted over the last 20 years have consistently failed to prove a link between silicone implants and connective tissue disorder. In 1992, the FDA imposed a moratorium on silicone gel breast implants, eliminating their availability to the general public. The silicone implants are still available for women who are willing to enroll in a research study and participate for anywhere from 5 to 10 years. The patients who are eligible must meet one of the following criteria:
You must be a mastectomy patient undergoing reconstructive surgery. You require revision surgery due to less than undesirable results with saline, such as capsular contracture or rippling You are having a breast lift (mastopexy) concurrently with a breast augmentation. You suffer from a chest wall deformity
RECENT NEWS ABOUT SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS
CHICAGO, IL (PRWEB) July 31, 2005 -- Breast Implant Registry.com, the only internet-based registry of breast implants, applauded news that the FDA had sent an approval letter with conditions to Mentor Corporation for their silicone gel implants. While the exact terms of the approval letter have not been released, the FDA scientific advisory panel recommended in April that a breast implant registry be established to track the new implants. “We are excited about the reintroduction of silicone gel implants into the market and the prospect of helping women, their doctors and the implant manufacturers track these products as they return to widespread use,” said Dr. Robert Frank, a board certified plastic surgeon and President of BreastImplantRegistry.com. “We feel the registry is critical to proving the safety of these implants.” Frank started BreastImplantRegistry.com in 2004 in response to the growing number of women needing revisional breast implant surgery who did not have important data from their initial surgery. Often the lack of this critical information complicated their secondary procedure leading to increased surgical time, recovery time and cost. The registry allows women to access all breast implant related data from anywhere with internet access. Data regarding surgeon, surgery center and implants is kept on a secure, encrypted server. The cost of enrollment in the registry $25 for 10 years. Patients with implants placed for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes are candidates for enrollment.
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