Fw: Explant Date: Please Post!!! :-)

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " tara-vajra (by way of ilena rose) " <jeweltara@...>

Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 11:14 PM

Subject: Explant Date: Please Post!!! :-)

> Dear Ilena and all my Silicone (and Saline) Sisters:

>

> Just wanted to let you all know that I have an explant date - And it's

with

> one of the best surgeons around! There was No NEED to ask for an enbloc,

> although I did...In fact he instructed me with an overhead machine as to

> what he would do and brought up more than I ever would have asked for. He

> Will do an enbloc procedure - and educated me a bit more on the procedure,

> He Will scrape out the cavity of any silicone - and he'll put in drains!

> This Dr's credentials are impeccable. A few years ago a friend of mine

was

> in a sailing accident and had her hand ripped, just about completely off.

> Nobody thought she'd ever have use of it again (and she was a Dental

> Hygienist at the time!). He reconnected nerves, etc., and she has in the

> high 90 percentile of use of her hand!

>

> Although he doesn't necessarily believe that implants cause disease, he

was

> still respectful of my opinion and was very open to us disagreeing on this

> point. He Did assure me that he would use All of his skill in this

> operation...and even said he'd done many before and was surprised that the

> results weren't all that bad (as he had thought they may be prior to

this).

> He said he felt confident I wouldn't be too disappointed with the results

> but chances are high I won't have feeling in either breast. (I already

> don't have feeling in my right breast and haven't had since the

implantation

> over 20 years ago). Who cares? Just the thought of them poisonous crappy

> things being out of my body (Finally) makes me want to soar like an Eagle!

>

> It's also a benefit in that he works close by (45 minutes away - no

ferry!)

> and a good friend is going to take me and bring me back home. He's very

> open to having pathology send the contents to Dr. Blais...and even

mentioned

> another Dr. in Eastern Canada whom I could also send them to (Dr. Wally

> Petters in Toronto) and says he has good, solid credentials regarding

breast

> implants. He says the procedure here is to first send them to pathology

at

> the hospital...where they keep them for a week - and then it's up to me to

> arrange to pick them up and send them off (I will be engaging Dr. Blais).

> It seems to me awhile back I came across a letter to send to pathology

prior

> to explant. Would anyone have a copy of this?

>

> I'd like to Thank from the bottom of my Heart Everyone on the

list...Without

> you, I can only imagine my life dwindling away, piece by piece...Honestly,

> if it hadn't been for my kids....well, I wasn't looking forward to living

my

> life --- not like this anyway.

>

> Special Thanks to , who has been a kind ear, someone I could confide

> in in a very honest, from the heart way, without having to censor

myself...I

> believe I've met a good friend in her!...Also to Adela ....who got

me

> started on the path to wellness in BC, Canada...and has given me hope that

I

> could get well...We all need that. Ilena, where do I start? Your devote

> work, in spite of not being affected by these things is such an incredible

> blessing...Without this GROUP...where would we ALL be?

> Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...

>

> To All of You Wonderful Women out there who have written, given me

> encouragement, asked questions, gave answers ... and I KNOW how sick you

all

> are... My highest Gratitude! I'll post again...this isn't a goodbye

letter

> (started to sound like one for a minute there! ;-/ !!) I'm just so very

> happy and want to pass it all on!

>

> Many Blessings to You All,

> From the Heart,

> Jewell :-) BTW, I've got a quick date! It's Feb. 15!...Can't wait!!!!!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

" He says the procedure here is to first send them to pathology

> at> > the hospital...where they keep them for a week - and then it's up to

me to > arrange to pick them up and send them off (I will be engaging Dr.

Blais).> > It seems to me awhile back I came across a letter to send to

pathology> prior> > to explant. Would anyone have a copy of this? "

> >

For those interested, please look at this letter and adapt it to your needs.

See the entire webpage here:

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/8689/letter.html

NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING SALINE EXPLANTED, PLEASE ADAPT THE LETTER

ACCORDINGLY!

PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

XYZ HOSPITAL

1414 S. Whatnot Street

Anytown, CA 99999

CERTIFIED RETURN RECEIPT#_________________________

OR AIRBILL# IF BY OVERNIGHT DELIVERY OR FOLLOWING IF HAND DELIVERY: ACCEPTED

BY (EMPLOYEE OF XZY PATHOLOGY FIRM)

SIGNATURE______________________________TIME__________

PRINT NAME_____________________________DATE__________

RE.: Your Name_______________________Social Security#___________________

Date of Birth_____________Date Surgery:_______________________

Plastic Surgeon:_________________________

Gentlemen:

I am being operated on by_________________________, M. D. (D.O.), at

approximately _________on (date)__________, to remove my breast implants and

capsules, at the same day surgical center (hospital or Plastic Surgeon's in

office operating suite) above.

1. Please save my removed breast implants. I will pick them up within 30

days afterwards or give you further instructions in regard to them.

2. Please weigh my implants and place this information in the pathology

report. It is an important medical fact how much they weighed when explanted

as most of us know having obtained the original Product I. D. Tag how much

they weighed when implanted.

For the gross examination, I appreciate you recording the type of external

surface, i. e., smooth, textured, polyurethane or smooth and covered by

sticky material and contents of the implant, i. e., viscous gel, oil or

watery fluid. Please note the color of the gel; at implantation as you know

it was crystal clear. Now it might be yellow.

3. Please also note any inscriptions, including brand name, size and/or

serial number present on the elastomer shell or any identifying

characteristics. I was implanted with the present set, on_____________or

over______years ago. (For those who have been unable to find proof of

manufacturer; please add this: I have been unable to find proof of who

manufactured my implants and would so much appreciate you listing any of the

" identifiers " you see on the elastomer shell which are attached to this

letter.)

4. If there is a rupture, please use that word in your report. The

definition of a rupture is usually any opening in the elastomer shell.

Pathologist have used the term " opening in the capsule " which led to much

confusion instead of saying " opening, pinhole or rupture in the elastomer

shell or envelope. " The capsule is generally referred to in medical circles

as the scar tissue surrounding the implant.

Using a word like puncture indicates it was caused by the surgery when it

might not have been. If damage to the implant occurred during the surgery,

it is up to the explanting physician to note that in my operative report. If

the outer shell is focally ruptured (describe the size of the rupture and

whether gel extrudes significantly), if completely disrupted with

fragmentation of the outer shell (in case saline: completely deflated and

flat), small or pinhole opening and approximate size, etc.

5. If no gross rupture(s) of my breast implants is observed, carefully

examine each by slowly by gently rolling them with mild pressure, to see if

a pinhole or small opening in the elastomer shell can be spotted. This I

consider pertinent information for my health care professionals for the

long-term. Also, any opening, as mentioned, legally qualifies as a rupture

and might qualify me for substantially more funds from the Settlement I need

because of my declining health.

6. Please note if you see what might be metal or dark floating particles or

objects in the silicone-gel (saline).

7. For SALINE only: There were no drugs instilled in the saline solution

when my implants were placed or there was bedatine, cortisone;

antibiotics -- see your operative report at implantation and Office Notes;

help the pathologist -- give him the facts! If the saline solution looks

like " swamp water, " since no drugs were instilled (if true), you might have

cultures for a more lengthy time to identify what is growing in it.

Microorganism growing in the saline solution now are documented to occur

more frequently than previously thought. (Don't type this in the letter; run

off the articles, if you are having saline explanted, in article #21 at the

SALINE IMPLANT LIBRARY and attach those to your letter:

http://www.GeoCities.com/HotSprings/8689/saline.html

8. Please note the presence and character any inflammatory reaction,

description of foreign material if present, i. e., silicone appears as

refractile, non-birefringent, optically clear material often found within

macrophages. Any giant cells with vacuoles you see, I would appreciate you

mentioning, etc.

An article and a multitude of others, from ls of Plastic Surgery,

January, 1995 on 300 patients who had 592 silicone-gel breast prostheses

explanted, states there is a 21% chance of one or both are ruptured or

severely leaking (the gel will extend 12 inches which indicates a pinhole or

small opening exists) at 8 years old, 49% at 12 years, 71% at 14 years and

95% at 20 years old. (Only for those with silicone gel)

Please be sure to note if there is granulation tissue, silicone granulomas

on the exterior of the biological capsule, lymphocytes, foamy histocytes,

macrophages, mast and/or multinucleated giant cells, plasma cells,

eosinophils, foci of epitheloid cells and fibroblasts, everything you see

that might be considered a foreign body or immune reaction or fluid between

the capsules and implants, synovial metaplasia, etc. There are also

increasing reports of squamous cell carcinoma in the capsule surrounding a

breast implant.

I need your help again to please note everything when doing my Pathology

Report. It might help my health care professionals in treating me over the

long-term. Thank you so much for your efforts on my behalf.

Sincerely,

X__________________

MARY JANE DOE

Enc.: Subclinical Infections, Synovial Metaplasia and Squamous Cell

Carcinoma Associated with Breast Implant Capsule.