Alert Regarding Breast Implants

Warning issued by ASPS

The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons has today issued an alert to Members regarding contaminated breast implants being linked to the cancer known as Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL).  This follows on from our blog of April 29th 2016 when we discussed the drop in use of textured breast implants due to safety concerns – specifically ALCL.

We were concerned at the time that many surgeons had not been advising patients of the risk of ALCL – which is especially associated with the use of textured breast implants.

The full text of the Patient’s Guide issued by ASPS is printed below.

In addition, the ASPS issued surgeons with strategies for the prevention of device associated infection in breast prostheses and made a number of clinical recommendations.

At Avenue Aesthetic Surgery it is reassuring to know that, because of the use of smooth, round saline implants placed beneath the muscle for over 25 years, our incidence of capsular contracture is extremely low and we have never had a case of ALCL.

We do, however, incorporate numerous strategies during our breast augmentation surgery to prevent device associated infection, capsular contracture and subsequently ALCL.

At Avenue Aesthetic Surgery, 50% of the breast augmentations we perform are currently done by using the patient’s own fat – as a fat graft.  We have modified our techniques over the past 3 years such that we now have extremely high fat retention rates – and extremely satisfied patients!

We invite any woman considering breast augmentation to come and speak with us regarding the option of fat grafting and, if implants are required, to discuss the safest way to use implants for breast augmentation.

Also, women who have had breast implants for many years and who have concerns regarding the above, are invited to discuss their options of:-

A: Implant removal

B: Implant removal and replacement with a safer type of implant or

C: Implant removal and replacement with your own fat

Alert issued today by The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons:

A GUIDE FOR PATIENTS

Possible Risk of Rare Form of Lymphoma In Association with Breast Implants

General Principles:

• Your surgeon should appropriately inform you of all potential risks inherent in surgery and insertion of prosthetic devices.
• Infection control standards are extremely important in breast implant surgery to ensure the best outcomes. Members of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons are expertly trained to ensure the highest standards of patient safety and lowest risk of infection.
• The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Australasian Foundation of Plastic Surgery have pioneered the new national Breast Device Registry to help answer questions about such low incidence occurrences like ALCL.
• Read the information below and refer to your surgeon for more information or an explanation.

Facts:

1. All breast implants carry a risk of capsular contracture (hardening of the breast tissue around the implant) with no reference to cancer.
2. There have been some reports of a possible association between breast implants and a rare form of lymphoma (ALCL). Relative to the many millions of breast implants in the global community there are only a small number of reported cases (globally, about 300 reported cases of this rare lymphoma in women with breast implants).
3. Your consultation is an opportunity to discuss all risks associated with surgery including the choice of implant and the steps your surgeon takes to avoid bacterial contamination of the implant at time of surgery.
4. A 14 point plan has been developed for surgeons to help reduce the risk of infection in breast implantation surgery.