Ds. Raso et al., LIGHT-MICROSCOPY TECHNIQUES FOR THE DEMONSTRATION OF SILICONE GEL, Archives of pathology and laboratory medicine, 118(10), 1994, pp. 984-987
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Pathology,"Medical Laboratory Technology","Medicine, Research & Experimental
Because of the difficulty in identifying silicone gel in histologic an
d cytologic specimens by means of conventional light microscopy, we in
vestigated alternative light microscopy techniques, as well as specime
n staining and preparation. Specimens from six periprosthetic capsules
, one silicone granuloma specimen, and one synovial biopsy specimen ob
tained from women with silicone breast implants were cut at 4-, 10-, 2
0-, and 30-mu m sections, stained with a variety of common stains, and
correlated with electron probe microanalysis. In addition, a commerci
al silicone gel and silicone gel extracted from a previously implanted
silicone breast prosthesis were smeared and examined unstained or sta
ined with Papanicolaou and Diff Quik. Silicone was noted to be refract
ile, nonpolarizable, and nonstainable. Thicker sections prevented sili
cone ''dropout'' during processing and increased the contrast between
stained tissue and unstained silicone (negative staining). The relativ
e ease of silicone identification was greatly increased with non-Koehl
er, phase contrast, and darkfield microscopy. Staining the mounting me
dia of hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections with a nonparticulate commer
cial ink allowed enhanced negative staining detection of silicone gel.