Silicone thorax: a complication of tube thoracostomy in the presence of mammary implants.
Rupture of silicone breast implants is usually either iatrogenic or due to trauma. We present a case of blunt chest wall trauma in a patient with bilateral breast implants. Emergency chest tube thoracostomy resulted in rupture of one of the prostheses and caused subsequent migration of silicone into the chest cavity, where it led to empyema. The patient ultimately required a thoracotomy to evacuate the silicone and decorticate the lung. Review of the literature and methods to avoid this complication are described.
Rice
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DC
Section of General Thoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Agasthian
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T
Clay
R P
RP
Deschamps
C
C
D018427:Breast Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015505:Chest Tubes; D004653:Empyema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D012828:Silicones / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*
D012828:Silicones