title: Silicone gel breast implants and connective tissue disease--a comprehensive review.
abstract: Silicone breast implants have been in use for breast reconstruction and breast augmentation for a long time. In the late 80's anecdotal reports describing a possible association between silicone-gel filled breast implants, and autoimmune diseases was accumulating. Due to the growing concern about the safety of silicone-gel implants, the Food and Drug administration (FDA) restricted their use to participants in controlled clinical trials, including women having reconstructive surgery. However, in recent years, large meta-analyses were unable to establish an association between silicone-gel breast implants and autoimmune disease. We review the current literature, emphasizing the most important epidemiologic studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bar-Meir
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eherenfeld
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D018427:Breast Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D020034:Silicone Gels / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D020034:Silicone Gels