Breast Implant Lawsuit
If someone is harmed due to a faulty breast implant, a lawsuit may be filed against the manufacturer – or less often, against the plastic surgeon. Whether you underwent breast augmentation surgery for cosmetic or reconstructive reasons, you expected the procedure to be safe. You never dreamed that one day – perhaps a decade later – the implants inside your body would leave you fighting a deadly disease. Emerging research has shown that breast implants cause a rare form of lymphoma.
Breast implants are medical devices that are implanted under the breast tissue or under the chest muscle to increase breast size (augmentation) or to rebuild breast tissue after mastectomy or other damage to the breast (reconstruction). They are also used in revision surgeries, which correct or improve the result of an original surgery.
There are two types of breast implants approved for sale in the United States: saline-filled and silicone gel-filled. Both types have a silicone outer shell. They vary in size, shell thickness, shell surface texture, and shape (contour).
What is the problem with breast implants?
The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has received hundreds of reports of a rare form of cancer being diagnosed in women who have had breast implants. There’s even a term for the condition: Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Research suggests that the breast implants risk of cancer may depend on what kind of implants you have. Textured implants pose the greatest risk, while a much smaller number of BIA-ALCL cases involve smooth implants.
Who makes textured breast implants in the United States?
A number of companies manufacturer prosthetic breast implants sold on the U.S. market. Current manufacturers of FDA-approved breast implants include:
- Allergan (formerly called Inamed and McGhan), which makes both smooth and textured versions of its Natrelle implants
- Mentor World Wide LLC, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, which makes both smooth and textured implants under well-known brand names such as MemoryGel and MemoryShape
- Sientra, Inc., which makes silicone gel breast implants with both smooth and textured surfaces
- Ideal Implant Incorporated, which manufactures smooth implants but not textured ones
Already, Allergan and Mentor Worldwide are facing lawsuits due to breast implants lymphoma risks and other complications.
Ultimately, any changes you notice in your breasts or your overall health could indicate a serious medical condition.