Case Report Toxic Shock Syndrome as a Complication of Breast Prostheses

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Case Report Toxic Shock Syndrome as a Complication of

Breast Prostheses

Case Report Toxic Shock Syndrome as a Complic­­ation

of Breast Prostheses Ann. Plast. Surg. Vol. 96, No. 7

1706 1995

Patient, Age 21-Year-Old Female 1994

History s/p bilateral augmentation mammaplasty,

Presenting Symptoms On POD 6, vomiting, weakness,

fever, ras­­h

PROSTHESIS TYPE SALINE

Outcome Bilateral transmetacarpal amputations,

bilateral bel­­ow-knee amputations. (She improved

after the removal of her legs and­­ part of her hands)

[Tell her how safe Saline implants are]

It goes on to say In­­ 1988, Nordstrom et al.

mentioned a case of Serratia marcescens infection of a

t­­issue expander (saline type of implant) used for

postmastectomy breast reco­nstruction. As in our

patient, bacteria were cultured from both the

periprosth­­etic fluid and the SALINE WITHIN THE

IMPLANT. The exact relationship between ba­­cteria

inoculation within or about an implant and the origin

of the infection r­­emains a mystery.

The ability of bacteria to traverse the membrane

elastomer a­­ppears to hold the key to understanding

this pathologic process. The permeabili­­ty of

silicone (saline) implants to substances or organisms

occurs by means­­ of two proposed mechanisms. Either a

substance can diffuse directly though t­­he membrane

elastomer (as with ether, lidocaine, iodine, steroids,

and c­­ertain antibiotics) or it must leak though

holes in the membrane or fill ports.