SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS AND CONNECTIVE-TISSUE DISEASE - AN OVERVIEW

Silicone breast implants have been implicated in the possible pathogen esis of various connective tissue diseases. These findings have had a major impact not only on the medical and legal communities, but also o n the community at large. In this communication, we review the history of the breast implant controversy, and examine the medical evidence r egarding the possible link of silicone gel implants with connective ti ssue disorders such as scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. F inally, we give a broad overview of the topic and offer some general s uggestions regarding the care of patients who have silicone breast imp lants.