Silicone breast implants and collagen diseases
Haga, H.J.; Haaland, P.; Haga, T.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 112(6): 763-764
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 1561598 Document Number: 397054
Connective tissue disease has been reported to occur following implantation of silicone gel-filled prostheses to augment the breast. In this case report and review of the literature, two patients are described in whom connective tissue disease developed within one and three years respectively after cosmetic surgery. One developed dermatomyositis with lung fibrosis, and the other developed cutaneous lupus and a Sjögren-like syndrome. Both suffered serious complications due to vasculitis. Although evidence of a causal relationship between the implantation and the development of connective tissue disease is circumstantial, removal of the silicone prosthesis has been reported to result in subsequent remission.