WHAT IS SILICONE (REPRINTED FROM PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, VOL 92, PG 163-167, 1993)

What is silicone? Is it the same as silicon? The answer is no, but the y are related. Silicones contain silicon as a primary atom in their st ructure. The recent public debate about the use of silicones in medica l devices and recent scientific and medical literature highlights the confusion surrounding the meaning of these terms and how they are rela ted. Published research describing the presence of silicone in terms o f measured silicon in a variety of samples such as biopsies and urine can also be difficult to follow. A fundamental understanding of a few definitions can help clinicians and researchers in interpreting and de arly communicating technical information to patients and the public. T he definitions and illustrations that follow can be used to achieve th is objective. The review that follows is provided in the context of me dical applications. More complete information concerning silicon, sili cas and the chemistry of silicones are available (Iler R. K. The Chemi stry of Silica: Solubility, Polymerization Colloid and Surface Propert ies, and Biochemistry. New York: Wiley; 1979 [1]; Eborn C. Organosilic on Compounds. London: Butterworth; 1960 [2]).