Word: implants
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Susan Cox, 49, was horrified. After a death-defying battle with breast cancer and a prolonged recovery that included reconstructive surgery, the Chicago nurse learned last week that the very implant used to repair her breast could raise her risk of developing cancer once again. "It hit me like a club," said Cox. "Am I going to have to lose my breast twice?" She was not alone in her fear. News reports about the risks of certain breast implants set phones ringing in plastic surgeons' offices around the country. In all, 700,000 American women have had implants after cancer...
Ironically, the Meme and Replicon implants, which are actually no different from ordinary silicone implants except for an added layer of polyurethane foam, were considered by many surgeons to be the best on the market. The older, smooth-shelled variety tended to cause surrounding tissue to tighten into a fibrous mass, sometimes leaving the breast misshapen and hard to the touch. But the polyurethane foam coating of the Surgitek products prevented this from happening by substantially increasing the surface area of the implant. When the neighboring tissue contracts, it does not become too compact. Surgeons who have used the models...
Last week's reports will doubtless add to the number of implant recipients contemplating liability suits. The potential costs are enormous: in one case last month, a 46-year-old New York woman was awarded $4.5 million after she claimed that polyurethane implants gave her breast cancer. The case is under appeal...
...Silicone implants are not without drawbacks. Because they sit high on the chest and are compactly curved, the implants most closely reproduce the look of a young woman's breast and can be a poor match for an older patient. They can also make the breast feel hard, interfere with mammography and, on occasion, rupture, causing inflammation if silicone has been used. This spring, as a result of pressure from patient-advocacy groups and members of Congress, the FDA will require implant manufacturers to provide proof of the safety of their products. Still, many surgeons say the risks have been...
Norplant, a new 5-year contraceptive implant, gains federal approval and kicks up fresh controversy about the uses and abuses of birth control...