PIP Breast Implants: The Facts
The French-made breast implants that have featured so much in the news lately have caused widespread concern amongst the 40,000 or so women who have had breast augmentation surgery using implants manufactured by PIP. Approximately 95% of women who have had the French PIP implants did so for cosmetic reasons, whilst the remaining 5% had the implants fitted for medical reasons, usually following mastectomies for cancer treatment.
Concerns were first raised in December 2011 when a French investigation into the implants was launched and the widespread nature of the problem with the implants was discovered and reported worldwide. The investigation revealed that the implants were made with industrial silicone (they are supposed to be filled with medical-grade silicone or equivalent); further, the structure and design of the implants leaves them susceptible to leakage or even rupture. There is no link to cancer from the implants.
The news alarmed many women, who were often unaware of the name or manufacturer of their breast implants and flooded their GPs with enquiries about whether they were at risk. Medical notes will reveal the make and maker of the implants, so if you think you may be affected you can easily find out from your notes if you paid privately for your implants. The NHS is writing to all women who have the PIP implants that were fitted on the NHS.
If the original implants were fitted by the NHS, the NHS will remove and replace the implants, free of charge, if you wish after talking with the consultant about your options and the risk to your health. If the implants were fitted privately, you should speak to the clinic where they were fitted to see what their policy is. Unfortunately, because the company that made the implants went bust (no pun intended), there is no way for private clinics or the NHS to claim their costs back from them, and whilst the NHS has done the right thing by offering replacements, private clinics are not all minded to do likewise. If the private clinic won’t act, you could get the implants replaced on the NHS for free, but only if it is clinically necessary.
If the private clinic that fitted your implants refuses to remove and replace them, and you cannot get them replaced on the NHS, you might have to consult a solicitor about your options.
Research into the implants has found that there isn’t normally a need to remove them earlier than they would have been removed and replaced normally (usually 10 – 15 years), but naturally women will be very anxious and concerned, and it is for this reason that the NHS is offering the removal and replacement.
If you are concerned, speak to your GP or clinic in the first instance.
If you experience a rupture, you would need urgent medical help. Ruptures can happen as the implants get older, or if they are damaged when inserted (or during manufacture) or if your breast gets injured. Signs of a rupture include:
- lumpiness in the breast
- lumpy or swollen areas around the breast (e.g. under the arms)
- redness and/or tenderness
- the breast gets smaller, looking ‘deflated’
- the breast changes shape or swells
- the breast becomes painful or sensitive.
If you experience any of those symptoms, see your GP immediately.