scholarly journals Polyarteritis Nodosa Presenting as Digital Gangrene and Breast Lesion following Exposure to Silicone Breast Implants

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yamen Homsi ◽  
John Andrew Carlson ◽  
Samer Homsi
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Immunosuppressive Therapy ◽  
Polyarteritis Nodosa ◽  
Breast Lesion ◽  
Connective Tissue Diseases ◽  
Breast Implants ◽  
Silicone Implants ◽  
Necrotizing Vasculitis ◽  
Silicone Breast Implants ◽  
The Relationship

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare systemic necrotizing vasculitis of small and medium sized arteries. We report a case of a 49-year old woman who presented with PAN following exposure to silicone breast implants. Although the relationship between silicone implants and connective tissue diseases has been investigated in the literature, no prior reports were found documenting PAN after silicone mammoplasty. While the pathogenesis of idiopathic PAN is not known yet, responsiveness to immunosuppressive therapy may suggest an immunologic mechanism. More robust research is needed to understand the connection between silicone breast implants and autoimmunity.

Silicone Breast Implants and the Risk of Connective-Tissue Diseases and Symptoms

1995 ◽  
Vol 332 (25) ◽  
pp. 1666-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Sánchez-Guerrero ◽  
Graham A. Colditz ◽  
Elizabeth W. Karlson ◽  
David J. Hunter ◽  
Frank E. Speizer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Connective Tissue Diseases ◽  
Breast Implants ◽  
Silicone Breast Implants

scholarly journals Silicone Breast Implants, Breast Cancer and Specific Connective Tissue Diseases: A Systematic Review of the Data in the Epidemiological Literature

1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven H. Lamm
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Connective Tissue Diseases ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Breast Implants ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Silicone Breast Implants

Unanswered concerns about the systemic safety of silicone breast implants (BI) underlay the Food and Drug Administration's moratorium pronouncement in 1992. Since then, many epidemiological studies have been reported that examined either the association between BI and cancer, particularly breast cancer, or the association between BI and connective tissue diseases (CTD), particularly scleroderma. These studies are reviewed, and their data are synthesized. Three breast cancer easel control studies that examine BI as a risk factor show no association between BI and breast cancer. Nor do four BI cohort studies. The data appear to show a reduced risk. No association has been seen between Bl and either breast sarcomas or total cancers. Case-control studies do not show an association between BI and scleroderma (four studies), rheumatoid arthritis (three studies), systemic lupus erythematosus (two studies), or other connective tissue diseases. Eight cohort studies of women with breast implants sought an association between BI and CTD. Seven had negative results. One found a statistically significant risk of self-reported CTD of 1.24 (upper confidence limit = 1.41), but medical record review for diagnostic confirmation has not yet been performed. In toto, the epidemiological studies do not indicate an association between breast implants and breast cancer, though they suggest possibly a negative association. In toto, the epidemiological studies do not indicate an association between breast implants and specific connective tissue diseases, though one study's current results present a small statistically significant association with self-reported CTD.

A Clinical Study of the Relationship Between Silicone Breast Implants and Connective Tissue Disease

1998 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 687-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M. Edworthy ◽  
Liam Martin ◽  
Susan G. Barr ◽  
Dale C. Birdsell ◽  
Rollin F. Brant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Study ◽  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Connective Tissue Disease ◽  
Breast Implants ◽  
Silicone Breast Implants ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals Silicone breast implants and connective tissue diseases

BMJ ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 309 (6958) ◽  
pp. 822-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Sanchez-Guerrero ◽  
M H Liang
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Connective Tissue Diseases ◽  
Breast Implants ◽  
Silicone Breast Implants

Immune Functional Impairment in Patients with Clinical Abnormalities and Silicone Breast Implants

1992 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 415-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aristo Vojdani ◽  
Andrew Campbell ◽  
Nachman Brautbar
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Cytotoxic Activity ◽  
Immune Complexes ◽  
Breast Augmentation ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Breast Implants ◽  
Silicone Implant ◽  
Silicone Implants ◽  
T Helper ◽  
Silicone Breast Implants

Silicone, previously thought to be a biologically inert and harmless material, has now been reported to elicit antibody response and to be responsible for adjuvant disease in humans. The present study was designed to evaluate the immune function of forty individuals who had undergone silicone breast augmentation for a period of longer than ten years and who were compared with 40 sex and age-matched controls. The following immunological functions were studied: lymphocyte subset analysis, lymphocyte mitogenic response, NK cytotoxic activity and markers for autoimmunity such as ANA, rheumatoid factor immune complexes such as smooth muscle, myelin, and thyroid, and tissue antibodies. Results of lymphocyte subpopulation analysis showed significantly elevated T helper/suppressor ratio in 60% and significantly decreased T helper/suppressor ratio in 7.5% of the silicone implant group, while the control group showed increased helper/suppressor ratio only in 10% of tested individuals and no significant decrease in the T helper/suppressor ratio. There was 20% inhibition in T cell mitogenic responses in the silicone implant group, which is significant when compared to the controls. When NK cytotoxic activity was compared between the two groups, significant inhibition in the ability of lymphocytes to kill tumor target cells was observed in the silicone implant group. This inability of target cell lysis was attributed to the demonstrated lack of granularity of NK cells from the silicone implant group. There was significant increase in: immune complexes, anti-nuclear antibodies, anti-thyroid antibodies, anti-striated muscle cell antibody, and anti-myelin basic protein antibodies. These immunological abnormalities in individuals who underwent silicone breast augmentation indicate a mechanism of tissue injury to these patients, causing autoimmune diseases or syndromes. Since autoimmunity in some other conditions is associated with abnormalities in the HLA serotyping system, and since some collagen vascular diseases have been associated with a higher incidence of the HLA serotyping system, it is recommended that HLA studies be included in future investigations of immune-mediated abnormalities associated with silicone breast augmentation. Our findings here show definite abnormalities of the T helper/suppressor ratio, increased autoimmunity, as well as increased production of immune complexes. Silicone implants have been used in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery more than 30 years (Brown et al., 1960). The gel used in the implant is produced from silicone, reduced to form silicone, which is then reacted with methyl chloride and polymerized to form stable polydimethylsiloxane (Brown et al., 1960). There have been a number of reports describing the occurrence of connective tissue disease in patients after the implantation of silicone. This includes scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarthritis, and Sjögren's syndrome which became clinically apparent 2–21 years after implantation of silicone (Yoshida, 1973; Van Nunen et al., 1983; Fack et al., 1984; Okano et al., 1984; Sergott et al., 1986; Endo et al., 1987; Spiera, 1988; Varga et al., 1989; Varga and Jimenez, 1990; Silverstein, 1992). Routine laboratory tests showed normal findings for red and white blood cell counts, platelets, liver and renal functions, urine analysis, thyroid function tests, serum enzymes, and immunoglobulins (Kaiser et al., 1990). Immunopathological findings were reported for complement cascade, rheumatoid factor immune complexes, and anti-nuclear antibody (Kaiser et al., 1990). After removal of the silicone implants, the clinical symptoms improved along with improvement in laboratory parameters (Kaiser et al., 1990). Despite these reported signs and symptoms of connective tissue disease (Yoshida, 1973; Van Nunen et al., 1983; Fack et al., 1984; Okano et al., 1984; Sergott et al., 1986; Endo et al., 1987; Spiera, 1988; Varga et al., 1989; Kaiser et al., 1990; Varga and Jimenez, 1990; Silverstein, 1992), and reported higher percentage of breast cancer in patients with silicone breast implants (Silverstein, 1992), immune functional studies were not reported in these patients. In this study, we examined the immune function in women with clinical symptoms following silicone breast implants.

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