Silicone breast implants leak platinum into the body

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Silicone breast implants leak platinum into the body

Medical Studies/Trials

Published: Monday, 10-Apr-2006

According to a new study high levels of platinum have

been found in the hair, breast milk and other samples

from women who had silicone gel-filled breast

implants.

The study by researchers at the Texas-based firm

EperTox and the Center for Research on Environmental

Medicine is now being reviewed by the U.S. Food and

Drug Administration (FDA).

The findings represent the latest concern to be raised

about silicone breast implants, which were banned for

most women in 1992 amid a controversy over their

safety. Most concerns then centered around the effects

of the silicone leaking out and not the platinum used

in their manufacturing.

Two makers are currently trying to return the implants

to general use.

The researchers say they studied samples from 16 women

who had implants for about 14 years on average and

compared them with five women who had no implants.

They say the platinum levels found in nails, hair,

urine and breast milk was higher in women who had the

silicone implants than others who did not.

It seems the levels were 100 times higher in breast

milk, and as much as 1,700 times higher in urine.

The study was funded by a nonprofit group, the

Chemically Associated Neurological Disorders, who have

filed a petition with the FDA asking for a delay on

the decision on new silicone breast implants in view

of this latest study.

The researchers say that the platinum salts found in

the women's urine, hair and breast milk was in a

dangerous form likely to cause allergic or toxic

reactions, and women who may have leaking implants in

their body need to know, as do those young women who

are considering breast-feeding their children.

Silicone implants made by Mentor Corp. and Inamed

Corp., have been deemed " approvable " by the FDA if

certain, undisclosed conditions are met, but it is

unclear how the new study will affect the agency's

review process.

Both companies have dismissed the latest findings,

saying similar information was presented before the

FDA made its initial decision.

The report is published in Analytical Chemistry, a

journal of the American Chemical Society.

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