Silicone Breast Implants: A Rare Cause of Pleural Effusion

Abstract

Pleural effusions are one of the rarest complications reported in patients with silicone gel filled breast implants. The silicone implants have potential to provoke chronic inflammation of pleura and subsequent pulmonary complications such as pleural effusion. Herein, we report a 44-year-old female who presented with left sided pleural effusion, six weeks after a silicone breast implantation surgery. The most common infectious, inflammatory, and malignant causes of pleural effusion were excluded with pleural fluid cytology and cultures. With recurrent effusion in the setting of recent surgery, the chemical reaction to silicone breast implants was sought and exploration was performed which revealed foreign body reaction (FBR) to silicone material. The symptoms dramatically improved after the explantation.

Modulation of Foreign Body Reaction against PDMS Implant by Grafting Topographically Different Poly(acrylic acid) Micropatterns

“…Among the silicone‐based implants, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is the most commonly used silicone implant material because of its numerous advantages including good mechanical strength, flexibility, and biocompatibility . Even with these advantages, side effects caused by foreign body reactions (FBRs) are inevitable, resulting in the failure of the implant . For example, capsular contracture is a typical complication resulting from FBRs toward PDMS‐based breast implants, which occurs when the collagen fibrous capsule shrinks, tightens, and compresses the implant.…”

Pleural and pericardial effusion incidentally detected on breast magnetic resonance imaging in post-COVID-19 patients: retrospective case-control study

“…Мы нашли в литературе описание двух случаев сочетания плеврита и перикардита при таком заболевании, 60-летней и 25-летней пациенток, у которых разрыв импланта протекал бессимптомно, но макрофагальное воспаление прилежащей области перикарда, плевральный выпот, а также поражение лимфатических узлов привело к необходимости удаления имплантов, после чего симптомы безвозвратно купировались [21,22]. Также имеются сообщения об изолированном развитии миоперикардита [23] и плеврита [24,25], вторичных по отношению к разрыву грудного импланта. Во всех случаях гистология подтверждала наличие силиконовых гранулем (воспалительная реакция на силикон).…”

Capsular Contracture, Prolonged Use of Breast Implant with Pleural Effusion: A Case Reports

“…12 , and Shaik et al (2015). 4 Those four articles were reporting the case with pleural effusion associated with the rupture of the mammary bag. It clearly understood that the body's response (in this case, pleural effusion) to silicone material (foreign body) following a bag rupture, it is quite logic.…”

“…Pleural effusion, which is an uncommon, rare complication following mammary bag rupture, has been first reported by Steven (1987). 3 More than 25 years later, Shaik et al (2015) published their finding, which is the recent report, namely foreign body reaction to silicone material of gel-filled breast prosthesis, that was ruptured. 4 In this report, unusual complications of capsular contracture in prolonged implanted breast prosthesis, namely melted gel-filled silicone breast implant covered by thick calcified capsular contracture complicated with pleural effusion presented that may contribute to the literature.…”