PIP Breast Implants - Aurora's Opinion....

Thoughts from Adrian Richards, Clinical Director of Aurora Clinics

This week saw the publication of the NHS final report into the safety of PIP implants, which follows on from their interim report issued in January this year.

For the most part, it has only served to confirm the findings of their earlier report. 

Namely:

• PIP implants have a higher rupture rate than other brands – around 2-6 times higher
• Tests so far have shown  no evidence that the silicone gel in PIP implants is toxic or produces cancer
• Ruptured PIP implants may cause local reactions including tenderness and swollen nymph nodes

Aurora Clinics have been heavily involved in treating women who have received PIP implants, having removed and replaced these implants for almost 200 women to date since the scandal came to light. 

We have been keeping detailed records of batch numbers and rupture rates to see if any observable patterns emerge, and have shared our data with various medical bodies.

Though we can only speak for our own clinic, we do have concerns regarding the long-term safety of PIPs.

• On the question of rupture rates, of the 192 women we have removed PIP implants for, 40 have had ruptured implants - a percentage of over 20%, which is higher than the NHS findings have suggested.
• Many of our patients have reported feeling better following removal of their PIP implants.
• We are concerned that there is a lack of long-term data on large numbers of  UK patients demonstrating the safety of PIP implants.
• When removing PIP implants, our surgeons have observed a phenomenon they have never seen before with other types of implant - a creamy fluid around the site of the ruptured implants. 

While we cannot know whether this fluid is harmful to the body, we would like to see a long-term comparative study comparing PIP patients and those with other implants, which takes account of any differences in symptoms - ideally over a much longer period than the studies carried out so far.   

There are still a lot of unanswered questions and uncertainties surrounding PIP implants. But there is one thing I do know for certain. If any of my family members or friends had PIP implants, I would encourage them to have them scanned and seriously consider their removal.

Kerry Greasley

Content Marketing Editor, Aurora Clinics

kerry.greasley@aurora-clinics.co.uk

Aurora Clinics are an expert group of Plastic Surgeons, medical aestheticians and anaesthetists specialising in a broad range of cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures (surgical and non-surgical). The Aurora emphasis is on honesty and openness, with information made publicly available via videos, podcasts, photo galleries, a highly comprehensive website and our past-patient network. We are always keen to work with the public and the Press to broaden awareness about cosmetic surgery, helping prospective patients make a fully informed choice. Visit www.aurora-clinics.co.uk for more information.

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