French PIP Breast Implants Recalled

Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 to PROCEDURES > Breast

Posted by Lori Polacek, M.D.; Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

By: Lori Polacek, M.D.

As a Rhode Island plastic surgeon, it's important for me to stay on top of the latest news and happenings in my field. Recently, I read a New York Times article that reported the recall of breast implants made by a French company called Poly Implants Prothèse (PIP). The industrial-grade silicone used in these implants is inferior to medical-grade silicone, which is the type approved by the FDA for use in implants in this country.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon who focuses on patient safety, I use only FDA-approved implants. However, as The New York Times notes, women who had breast augmentation surgery in countries where the PIP implants were sold now must decide whether to have them removed. French officials are considering a plan for women in that country with PIP implants to have them removed at government expense.

The newspaper reported that it appears none of these implants were sold in the United States. For women in the United States who chose to have breast augmentation in countries where PIP implants were sold, however, this should be a red flag. My recommendation is that they check with their personal physicians to discuss their concerns and obtain a professional recommendation.

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