Silicone Gel Breast Implants and Connective Tissue Disease—A Comprehensive Review

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Abstract
Silicone breast implants have been in use for breast reconstruction and breast augmentation for a long time. In the late 80's anecdotal reports describing a possible association between silicone-gel filled breast implants, and autoimmune diseases was accumulating. Due to the growing concern about the safety of silicone-gel implants, the Food and Drug administration (FDA) restricted their use to participants in controlled clinical trials, including women having reconstructive surgery. However, in recent years, large meta-analyses were unable to establish an association between silicone-gel breast implants and autoimmune disease. We review the current literature, emphasizing the most important epidemiologic studies.