CLINICAL AND LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF WOMEN WITH INTACT AND WOMEN WITH RUPTURED SILICONE GEL BREAST IMPLANTS

In a retrospective study, 34 women with silicone gel breast implants w ere examined, 22 patients had intact (Group A) and 12 had ruptured (Gr oup B) implants. The objective of the study was to investigate if ther e are any differences between Groups A and B regarding the clinical pr ofile and the results of immunological and rheumatoid parameters. Ln a ddition, when connective tissue disease was diagnosed, was it associat ed with a leak; of silicone gel. The average age of the women in the s tudy was 46.9 years. The average duration of implant placement was 5.4 years in Group A and 11.3 years in Group B. The patients underwent a general clinical check-up with emphasis on symptoms of connective tiss ue disease. A clinical examination of the breast was performed to dete ct possible complications after augmentation. The laboratory studies w ere immunological and rheumatoid. Clinical results: In Group Al I woma n (4.5%) demonstrated joint pain, I (4.5%) muscle pain, and 8 (36.4%) breast-specific symptoms. In Group B, one patient (8.3%) experienced j oint pain and 6 (50%) breast-specific symptoms. There was no statistic ally significant difference in the frequency of abnormal clinical find ings between the two groups. Laboratory results: Abnormal laboratory v alues were obtained in 15 women (68.2%) from Group A and In 5 women (4 1.7%) from Group B, There was no significant difference between the tw o groups, At follow-up, 22 patients with intact and 12 women with rupt ured silicons gel breast implants demonstrated no significantly differ ent abnormal clinical findings or laboratory results. None of the pati ents with pathological findings showed ally evidence of connective tis sue disease.