Breast implant registry

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Forgive my sarcasm! Here's another report that was mentioned in the prior article (that they said would come out at the end of 2003. Hmmm, didn't see much hullabaloo about this one at the time of release, did anyone else?) I had to laugh at this part: "Thanks to the forward thinking of PSEF leadership in creating the registry in 2000, we are gaining valuable information about implants that will ultimately allow us to better serve our patients," stated Dr. Young.

" Forward thinking???? Excuse me??? Aren't they just a tad too late in doing this????? It's been needed for years, and they think they were forward thinking in doing this in 2000, almost 40 years after the first breast implants were used? ROFL! And uh huh, they are so nice to be thinking about the valuable information about implants that they will be gaining so they can better serve us, their patients. I am so moved by their consideration, aren't you? They've just been such darlings to us all along. Forgive my sarcasm! They are the ultimate optimists--to a fault! I do hope that eventually we will see bonafide registry data that will show what is happening to the women who are getting sick. It doesn't seem that they are doing a very good job of tracking that data right now. Patty ASPS Reveals Results of National Breast Implant RegistryRe-operation Rate Due to Requests for Change in Size After 1st Procedure For Immediate Release: October 27, 2003 http://www.plasticsurgery.org/news_room/press_releases/ASPS-Rrveals-Results-Of-National-Breast-Implant-Resgistry.cfm SAN DIEGO – After three years of following women with breast implants, data presented today at Plastic Surgery 2003, the annual scientific meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation (PSEF) and the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS) reveals the vast majority of re-operations are performed for women requesting a change in implant size. Gathered through the North American Breast Implant

Registry (NaBIR), established by the PSEF, the findings show a considerable portion of breast implant patients returned to their plastic surgeon to change their implant size. "We started the registry to get information about breast implants," said Leroy Young, MD, chair, NaBIR. "We wanted to know the size of the implant, which incisions were being used, how the implant was being placed and what type of short-term and long-term complications might occur after augmentation and reconstruction. Through the registry, we are seeing a trend for women who request a size change. By using this data, we could decrease this particular re-operation rate." Interestingly, another paper presented by Centeno, MD, at Plastic Surgery 2003 examined the safety of using larger breast implants, measuring more than 350-400cc – a size beyond which some surgeons oppose. After investigating more than 270 primary augmentation patients, the study found that

larger-volume implants do not cause more complications or re-operations than smaller implants. NaBIR’s findings indicate the second most common reason for re-operation was capsular contracture, which occurs when scar tissue forms around the implant. According to Dr. Young, most capsular contracture occurs when implants are placed above the chest wall muscle. Those placed under the chest wall muscle had a lower rate of capsular contracture rate. "Thanks to the forward thinking of PSEF leadership in creating the registry in 2000, we are gaining valuable information about implants that will ultimately allow us to better serve our patients," stated Dr. Young. "As the number of implants entered into the registry increases, as well as the length of follow-up, we will develop excellent data on other issues, such as implant rupture rate and the frequency of breast malignancies in women with implants." As of September

2003, more than 9,900 implants had been entered in the registry. Created three years ago, the scope of NaBIR was expanded in May 2002 when the International Breast Implant Registry (IBIR) was formed. Currently, there are 50 sites entering data in NaBIR and four countries participating in the international registry. IBIR is quickly becoming the world’s standard for breast implant registries and is being considered in a number of European countries, as well as Mexico and Israel. This international data will allow U.S. doctors to understand more about surgical techniques practiced in other countries, as well as learn about implants not allowed in the U.S. ASPS, founded in 1931, is the largest plastic

surgery organization in the world and the foremost authority on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. For referrals to ABPS-certified plastic surgeons in your area and to learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery, call the ASPS at (888) 4-PLASTIC (1-888-475-2784) or visit www.plasticsurgery.org. Note: These findings will be presented Monday, October 27, at 4 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, San Diego. Reporters can register to attend Plastic Surgery 2003 by logging on to www.plasticsurgery.org/news_room/Annual-Meeting-Media-Information.cfmor by contacting ASPS Public Relations at (847) 228-9900 or in San Diego, October 25-29 at (619) 525-6241.

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