silicon and Syndrome

For decades, breast implants have been available for breast reconstructions and breast augmentations to improve the patients' health-related quality of life. Silicone implants (SI) have been used since the middle of the last century for breast reconstruction, for example after breast cancer, for birth defects, gender confirmation procedures, or for breast augmentation. Every year, several hundred SI are performed in Iceland for these purposes, but no central register is maintained. It can be estimated that at least 1000 - 3000 women have SI in Iceland and that around 300 Icelandic patients get SI every year. This informal review article discusses the so-called ASIA syndrome, the immunological effects of silicone and the possible relationship of SI to autoimmune diseases, symptoms, and diagnosis. In the methodology, this paper does not rely on the strict conditions of systematic reviews, but the authors relied only on peer-reviewed sources through PubMed, UpToDate and Scopus. The keywords used are silicon, silicon implant, silicon particles, immune response, autoimmunity, autoinflammation, Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by aduvants, ASIA, ASIA syndrome, breast implant illness. The paper reviews known facts about the disease, its characteristics, and statistical aspects.

Topics: Autoimmune Diseases; Breast Implants; Female; Humans; Quality of Life; Silicon; Silicones; Syndrome; Systematic Reviews as Topic

Topics: Humans; Plastics; Scleroderma, Systemic; Silicon; Solvents; Syndrome

The authors review the case of a 30-year old female hair-dresser, into the breasts of whom silicone-gel implants have been implanted for cosmetic reasons. Ten months after the operation Löfgren-syndrome evolved, which improved only temporarily after the removal of the implants. The present symptom-free state, existing for 6 months now, required a 17-month corticoid therapy. The authors share the view that in rare cases silicon-gel implants might induce an autoimmune reaction, which is unforeseeable. When it is rightly presumed that human adjuvant disease or some other specified systemic disease is evolving, it is advisable that the implants should be removed and the patient should be treated with immunological therapy.

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Autoimmune Diseases; Breast Implantation; Diclofenac; Erythema Nodosum; Female; Funnel Chest; Gels; Humans; Sarcoidosis; Silicon; Syndrome; Treatment Outcome

This report describes, for the first time, an analysis by electron microprobe of concretions in the brain of an individual with striopallidodentate calcification. We also report the unique association of this intracranial syndrome with hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. An institutionalized male with impaired intellectual function and hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia was known since the age of 3 years to have bilateral radiopaque densities in the region of the basal ganglia on skull roentgenogram. He died at age 29 in congestive heart failure from rheumatic pancarditis. At autopsy, concretions were identified in globus pallidus, caudate nuclei, thalamus, and dentate nuclei. Mineral deposits within the brain, analyzed by energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis, consisted predominately of calcium and phosphorus. Trace amounts of magnesium, iron, and silicon also were detected.

Topics: Adult; Basal Ganglia; Calcium; Calculi; Cerebellar Nuclei; Ectodermal Dysplasia; Electron Probe Microanalysis; Humans; Intellectual Disability; Iron; Magnesium; Male; Phosphorus; Silicon; Sweat Glands; Syndrome