Breast Implants Can Breed Toxic Mold

[Guest guest]

Maybe this was story by the reporter seeking an implanted woman from Seattle on our group?

----- Original Message ----- From: ilena rose

Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 6:43 PM

Subject: Breast Implants Can Breed Toxic Mold

http://www.koin.com/webhealth/2003/20030430_implants.shtml

SEATTLE -- More women then ever are getting breast implants --235,000 this year alone. But an investigation uncovered new health risks you need to know about.

Saline implants are supposed to be safe, but a lot can go wrong: leaking, hardening, scarring and deflation. These problems can be bad, but now an investigation uncovers a truly horrifying complication -- implants black with toxic mold.

"I started thinking about suicide," implant patient Gordon said.

It's a shocking confession from a woman who seemed to have it all. Gordon was young, beautiful, and at age 21, decided to enhance her beauty with saline breast implants.

"I lived in a beach town. Literally, if you didn't have them, you bought them," she recalled.

For seven years she was fine. But then she began noticing a series of troubling health problems.

"At little bit of joint pain, my hair started thinning," Gordon said.

When she breast fed her baby, the child developed a mouth infection.

"My daughter's mouth was bleeding."

Meanwhile, Gordon got sicker and sicker. She felt exhausted all the time, had severe breast pain, chills and began slurring her words.

"They'd run a couple of blood tests, but there was nothing they could detect. After awhile I started thinking I was crazy," she said.

"I went to bed and I prayed. I said, 'God, please forgive me for what I'm going to do, but take me out of my misery. I'm useless.'"

Finally, in desperation, Gordon went to see plastic surgeon Dr. Kolb. Kolb urged Gordon to have the implants removed right away. What she found inside her chest was horrifying.

"This implant has discoloration inside consistent with fungus," Kolb said. "They were black."

The implants were full of dead organisms identified as mold. There was also a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

How did it get there? Implants are shipped to a surgeon deflated, then filled with saline in the operating room. If conditions are not completely sterile, germs could be introduced. That's why Seattle cosmetic surgeon Dr. Tony Mangubat always makes sure he uses a "closed system" to fill implants.

"Where we hang an IV bag, and then draw from the syringe through a one-way valve," Mangubat explained.

"Once the tubing is connected to the implant, there's no exposure to air."

Gordon's doctor says she's seen close to 300 cases of contaminated implants. Still, some experts insist it's a rare occurrence and argue that it's never been proven that implants like this can actually make women sick.

But other complications are more common, such as wrinkling, sagging, scarring, changes in nipple sensation and the need to have additional surgery.

Despite these problems, the Food and Drug Administration and implant manufacturers insist that the devices are safe. Mangubat says he's always warns patients of the risks.

"The incidence of implants failing or deleting is about 3 percent," he said.

But overall, he thinks that the procedure is safe.

"I personally believe that it's much more risky to drive your car on Interstate 5 than to have breast implants."

As for Gordon, she's recovering from her ordeal but thinks that women need to be warned, and doctors need to be aware.

"They think it has nothing to do with implants and a lot of times it does. That's the scary part," Gordon said.

"I really think I would have died. I really do!"

There's a debate as to how long the saline implants actually last. Some women have had their implants for decades. Some experts say they're only designed to last 11-14 years.

Surgeons say replacing them is an easy 15-minute procedure. Even so, it usually requires general anesthesia and some recovery time.

Also keep in mind implants can make it more difficult to detect breast cancer.

Posted: April 30, 2003

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[Guest guest]

Interesting article. I read a similar one in Glamour magazine, I

think. Thanks for the post!

> Maybe this was story by the reporter seeking an implanted woman

from Seattle on our group?

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: ilena rose

> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 6:43 PM

> Subject: Breast Implants Can Breed Toxic Mold

>

>

> http://www.koin.com/webhealth/2003/20030430_implants.shtml

> SEATTLE -- More women then ever are getting breast implants --

235,000 this year alone. But an investigation uncovered new health

risks you need to know about.

> Saline implants are supposed to be safe, but a lot can go wrong:

leaking, hardening, scarring and deflation. These problems can be

bad, but now an investigation uncovers a truly horrifying

complication -- implants black with toxic mold.

> " I started thinking about suicide, " implant patient Gordon

said.

> It's a shocking confession from a woman who seemed to have it all.

Gordon was young, beautiful, and at age 21, decided to enhance her

beauty with saline breast implants.

> " I lived in a beach town. Literally, if you didn't have them, you

bought them, " she recalled.

> For seven years she was fine. But then she began noticing a series

of troubling health problems.

> " At little bit of joint pain, my hair started thinning, " Gordon

said.

> When she breast fed her baby, the child developed a mouth

infection.

> " My daughter's mouth was bleeding. "

> Meanwhile, Gordon got sicker and sicker. She felt exhausted all the

time, had severe breast pain, chills and began slurring her words.

> " They'd run a couple of blood tests, but there was nothing they

could detect. After awhile I started thinking I was crazy, " she said.

> " I went to bed and I prayed. I said, 'God, please forgive me for

what I'm going to do, but take me out of my misery. I'm useless.' "

> Finally, in desperation, Gordon went to see plastic surgeon Dr.

Kolb. Kolb urged Gordon to have the implants removed right

away. What she found inside her chest was horrifying.

> " This implant has discoloration inside consistent with fungus, "

Kolb said. " They were black. "

> The implants were full of dead organisms identified as mold. There

was also a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

> How did it get there? Implants are shipped to a surgeon deflated,

then filled with saline in the operating room. If conditions are not

completely sterile, germs could be introduced. That's why Seattle

cosmetic surgeon Dr. Tony Mangubat always makes sure he uses

a " closed system " to fill implants.

> " Where we hang an IV bag, and then draw from the syringe through a

one-way valve, " Mangubat explained.

> " Once the tubing is connected to the implant, there's no exposure

to air. "

> Gordon's doctor says she's seen close to 300 cases of contaminated

implants. Still, some experts insist it's a rare occurrence and argue

that it's never been proven that implants like this can actually make

women sick.

> But other complications are more common, such as wrinkling,

sagging, scarring, changes in nipple sensation and the need to have

additional surgery.

> Despite these problems, the Food and Drug Administration and

implant manufacturers insist that the devices are safe. Mangubat says

he's always warns patients of the risks.

> " The incidence of implants failing or deleting is about 3 percent, "

he said.

> But overall, he thinks that the procedure is safe.

> " I personally believe that it's much more risky to drive your car

on Interstate 5 than to have breast implants. "

> As for Gordon, she's recovering from her ordeal but thinks that

women need to be warned, and doctors need to be aware.

> " They think it has nothing to do with implants and a lot of times

it does. That's the scary part, " Gordon said.

> " I really think I would have died. I really do! "

> There's a debate as to how long the saline implants actually last.

Some women have had their implants for decades. Some experts say

they're only designed to last 11-14 years.

> Surgeons say replacing them is an easy 15-minute procedure. Even

so, it usually requires general anesthesia and some recovery time.

> Also keep in mind implants can make it more difficult to detect

breast cancer.

> Posted: April 30, 2003

>

>

> --------------------------------------------------------------------

------------

> Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.

[Guest guest]

http://www.koin.com/webhealth/2003/20030430_implants.shtml

Breast Implants Can Breed Toxic Mold

Miles, KOIN 6 News

SEATTLE -- More women then ever are getting breast implants --235,000 this year alone. But an investigation uncovered new health risks you need to know about. Saline implants are supposed to be safe, but a lot can go wrong: leaking, hardening, scarring and deflation. These problems can be bad, but now an investigation uncovers a truly horrifying complication -- implants black with toxic mold. "I started thinking about suicide," implant patient Gordon said. It's a shocking confession from a woman who seemed to have it all. Gordon was young, beautiful, and at age 21, decided to enhance her beauty with saline breast implants. "I lived in a beach town. Literally, if you didn't have them, you bought them," she recalled. For seven years she was fine. But then she began noticing a series of troubling health problems. "At little bit of joint pain, my hair started thinning," Gordon said. When she breast fed her baby, the child developed a mouth infection. "My daughter's mouth was bleeding." Meanwhile, Gordon got sicker and sicker. She felt exhausted all the time, had severe breast pain, chills and began slurring her words. "They'd run a couple of blood tests, but there was nothing they could detect. After awhile I started thinking I was crazy," she said. "I went to bed and I prayed. I said, 'God, please forgive me for what I'm going to do, but take me out of my misery. I'm useless.'" Finally, in desperation, Gordon went to see plastic surgeon Dr. Kolb. Kolb urged Gordon to have the implants removed right away. What she found inside her chest was horrifying. "This implant has discoloration inside consistent with fungus," Kolb said. "They were black." The implants were full of dead organisms identified as mold. There was also a strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. How did it get there? Implants are shipped to a surgeon deflated, then filled with saline in the operating room. If conditions are not completely sterile, germs could be introduced. That's why Seattle cosmetic surgeon Dr. Tony Mangubat always makes sure he uses a "closed system" to fill implants. "Where we hang an IV bag, and then draw from the syringe through a one-way valve," Mangubat explained. "Once the tubing is connected to the implant, there's no exposure to air." Gordon's doctor says she's seen close to 300 cases of contaminated implants. Still, some experts insist it's a rare occurrence and argue that it's never been proven that implants like this can actually make women sick. But other complications are more common, such as wrinkling, sagging, scarring, changes in nipple sensation and the need to have additional surgery. Despite these problems, the Food and Drug Administration and implant manufacturers insist that the devices are safe. Mangubat says he's always warns patients of the risks. "The incidence of implants failing or deleting is about 3 percent," he said. But overall, he thinks that the procedure is safe. "I personally believe that it's much more risky to drive your car on Interstate 5 than to have breast implants." As for Gordon, she's recovering from her ordeal but thinks that women need to be warned, and doctors need to be aware. "They think it has nothing to do with implants and a lot of times it does. That's the scary part," Gordon said. "I really think I would have died. I really do!" There's a debate as to how long the saline implants actually last. Some women have had their implants for decades. Some experts say they're only designed to last 11-14 years. Surgeons say replacing them is an easy 15-minute procedure. Even so, it usually requires general anesthesia and some recovery time. Also keep in mind implants can make it more difficult to detect breast cancer.