Breast Augmentation and Liposuction Blog - Dr. Bottger

One of the concerns that led to the temporary ban of silicone breast implants for breast augmentation from 1996 to 2006 was the potential link between breast implants and connective tissue disorder. When breast implants were reintroduced for cosmetic surgery in 2006, the FDA stated that there was no evidence that breast implants were associated with connective tissue disorders, breast cancer, or autoimmune disorders. When the FDA released information from its postmarketing surveillance studies last year, it echoed this stance, though it did hold open the possibility that such a connection did exist, but could not be discerned due to the overall rarity of the complication.

Now, however, a new review suggests that there may actually be a connection between breast implants and connective tissue disorder. The study looked at 23,847 US women with or without breast implants for diagnoses of connective tissue disorders. The study considered 3950 women with breast implants and 19,897 who did not and found that women with breast implants had a higher risk for connective tissue disorders according to self-reported disorders, pre-screened disorders, and medical record confirmed disorders. The rates were significant for all but medical record confirmed disorders. Women's increased risk of self-reported connective tissue disorders was 60%, for pre-screened symptoms was 80%, and for medical record-confirmed connective tissue disorders was 39%.

Researchers caution that these results are tentative, but state that at the very least they seem to rule out a large increase (much greater than a doubling of risk) in connective tissue disorder risk.

Safety is an important concern if you are considering breast augmentation. To talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon in Philadelphia about risks associated with breast augmentation, please contact Dr. David A. Bottger.

Labels: safety, silicone breast implant