POST:Canadian Study and ann& brain lesion & 3 other BI study articles

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Suicide rate higher in women with implants

Red and Black - Athens,GA,USA

Women with breast implants may have a higher-than-average rate of suicide, according to a recent Canadian study. The large study ...

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Subj: Fwd: Canadian Study says breast implants linked to suicide, but not cancer

Date: 9/2/2006 2:17:35 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: Masalamon2957aol

Kathynye

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Forwarded Message:

Subj: Fwd: Canadian Study says breast implants linked to suicide, but not cancer

Date: 9/2/2006 1:53:11 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: Joa9aol

Masalamon2957, keeling.m@..., myrlj@..., gary.solomon@..., gorobin@...

Subj: Re: Canadian Study says breast implants linked to suicide, but not cancer

Date: 9/2/2006 1:49:37 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: Joa9

wisgroup_leader@...

Hi ,I am a f ormer breast implant survivor.I had ruptured silicone implants for many years. When they finally removed them ,the bags were half empty . I still have silicone in my lymph nodes as well,

I recently seen Dr. Feng in Ohio to confirm this .. I believe the reason we have a higher suicide is because the silicone migrated past the blood/brain barrier ,I have progressive white matter brain lesions that are" metallic densities".

These lesions are located in areas of the brain that control emotions,as well as cognitive function..Since silicone implants used platinum as a catalyst it seems that this is very likely, for many of us.Please get the word out so we can take a closer look at this .

Sincerely,

ann

PS,

These brain lesions are also recognized by the implant makers because they have it listed in the disease criteria manual.

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An Outbreak of Mycobacterium jacuzzii Infection following Insertion of Breast Implants.

Rahav G,Pitlik S, Amitai Z, Lavy A, Blech M, Keller N, Smollan G,

M, Zlotkin A.

Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, 52621, Israel. galia.rahav@.... Surgical wound infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria developed in 15 women after insertion of breast implants from August to November 2003 at a single medical center.Methods. A case-control study was conducted that included the identified patients, as well as women who underwent breast operations at the same center who did not develop infections.

The study was accompanied by an extensive environmental investigation. Isolates were identified by standard bacteriological methods and by comparison of their 16S rRNA, HSP65, RPOB, SODA, and RECA gene sequences. Isolates were compared by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.Results. The risk factors for infection included surgery performed by 1 specific surgeon (odds ratio, 21.3; 95% confidence interval, 3.64-125.6). Identical strains of mycobacteria were isolated from the infected wounds of the patients; from the eyebrows, hair, face, nose, ears, and groin of this particular surgeon; and from this surgeon's outdoor whirlpool. The isolates exhibited a biochemical profile overlapping that of Mycobacterium wolinskyi, but their sequences of 16S rRNA and HSP65, RPOB, SODA, and RECA genes differed. We propose the name "Mycobacterium jacuzzii" for this new species.

DNA fingerprints of cultured isolates from the surgical wounds, areas of the surgeon's body that grow hair, and the surgeon's whirlpool were identical. When the surgeon discontinued his use of the whirlpool and began cleaning the hairy areas of his body with a shampoo containing triclosan, the outbreak ended.Conclusions. This outbreak brings to light the possibility of the colonization of human skin and human-to-human transmission of environmental mycobacteria during surgery that involves implant insertion.PMID: 16941361 [PubMed - in process]

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Do metallic ports in tissue expanders affect postmastectomy radiation delivery?

Damast S, Beal K, Ballangrud A, Losasso TJ, Cordeiro PG, Disa JJ, Hong L,

McCormick BL.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.

PURPOSE: Postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) is often delivered to patients with permanent breast implants. On occasion, patients are irradiated with a tissue expander (TE) in place before their permanent implant exchange. Because of concern of potential under-dosing in these patients, we examined the dosimetric effects of the Magna-Site (Santa Barbara, CA) metallic port that is present in certain TEs.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: We performed ex vivo film dosimetry with single 6-MV and 15-MV photon beams on a water phantom containing a Magna-Site disc in two orientations. Additionally, using in vivo films, we measured the exit dose from 1 patient's TE-reconstructed breast during chest wall treatment with 15-MV tangent beams. Finally, we placed thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) on 6 patients with TEs who received PMRT delivered with 15-MV tangent beams.

RESULTS: Phantom film dosimetry revealed decreased transmission in the region of the Magna-Site, particularly with the magnet in the parallel orientation (at 22 mm: 78% transmission with 6 MV, 84% transmission with 15 MV). The transmission measured by in vivo films during single beam treatment concurred with ex vivo results. TLD data showed acceptable variation in median dose to the skin (86-101% prescription dose).

CONCLUSION: Because of potential dosimetric effects of the Magna-Site, it is preferable to treat PMRT patients with permanent implants. However, it is not unreasonable to treat with a TE because the volume of tissue affected by attenuation from the Magna-Site is small. In this scenario, we recommend using 15 MV photons with compensating bolus.PMID: 16904530 [PubMed - in process]

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Determination of serum fibrosis indexes in patients with capsular contracture after augmentation with smooth silicone gel implants.

Prantl L, Angele P, Schreml S, Ulrich D, Poppl N, Eisenmann-Klein M.

Institute of Plastic Surgery and the Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Germany. lukas.prantl@...

BACKGROUND: Several studies have confirmed a correlation between the concentration of serum hyaluronan and progressive fibrotic disorders such as liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between serum hyaluronan levels and capsular contracture after aesthetic breast augmentation.

METHODS: The study included 25 female patients (average age, 40 +/- 12 years) with capsular contracture after cosmetic breast augmentation with smooth silicone gel implants (Mentor, Santa Barbara, Calif.). The implants were placed in a submuscular position through an inframammary fold incision. The implant removals were prompted by development of capsular fibrosis (Baker grades I through IV). Samples of capsular tissue were obtained from all patients for standard histologic and immunohistochemical analysis. Blood samples were drawn from all patients immediately before operation. Sera from 20 healthy female patients (average age, 34 +/- 9 years) were used as control.

RESULTS:: Capsular tissue revealed significantly higher thickness in patients with grade III/IV contracture than in women with grade II contracture, according to Baker's classification. There was a moderate (n = 15) or severe (n = 10) chronic inflammatory reaction in the capsules around the implants. Fibroblasts, fibroblast-like cells, and macrophages represented the major cell populations found within the fibrous capsules, along with scattered polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and mast cells. In addition, activated CD4+ cells were detected. An inner layer with synovia-like metaplasia and multinucleated giant cells was found. There was a significantly higher level (p < 0.05) of hyaluronan serum concentration in patients with capsular contracture (26 +/- 14 microg/liter) compared with control subjects (12 +/- 6 microg/liter). There was a positive correlation between the grade of capsular contracture (Baker grades I through IV) and the hyaluronan serum concentration (Baker grade II, 15 +/- 3 microg/liter; Baker grade III, 34 +/- 13 microg/liter; Baker grade IV, 42 +/- 11 microg/liter) (r = 0.73; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Serum hyaluronan levels were significantly elevated in patients with capsular contracture after breast augmentation, and there was a positive correlation with stage of capsular contracture. Further study is necessary to determine whether hyaluronan might be useful as a predictor for the development and progress of capsular fibrosis.

PMID: 16816700 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]