Silicone breast implant busted!!

[WakeUpCall]

Hi,

This question is regarding my mother. She is very concerned. She has Silicone breast implants which she got back in the early 80's. She just found out today that the left implant has busted and is leaking. They told her that is has had a slow leak for the past year, but no one told her until today!! My question is....Can this cause permanent damage to her body or organs, being that it is silicone. She is going to see a specialist and will most likely have it removed and replaced with a saline implant. I am more worried about her having some type of internal damage from the leakage of silicone in her body. What do you think DOC??? Also, do any women reading this have any first hand experience with something like this??

She already has health problems and I do not want this to make anything worse. Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You Doctor!!! and readers

[Adevotee]

I don't know anything about this but I wanted to inform you that there is no doctor on this forum. It is a patient to patient forum. Sometimes there is a dr that comes on and answers questions. He is usually on a different forum.

[pixijal]

My mom is 57, and the exact same thing happened to her...she had silicone implants put in also in the early 80's.  One of hers did not burst, but had a consistent leak in it.  To my knowledge, (I am not a doctor) the only threat to the patient is the build up of scar tissue in that breast where the silicone is currently leaking.  It is not poison, and should not pose as a serious risk to her health.  She will have to have it replaced....basically go through another 'boob job'.  My mom had her new implants replaced with silicone again, and not saline.  To her, the new 'boob job' had a faster recovery rate, and wasn't nearly as painful as she had remembered the first one being.  Surgery and meds have come a very long way since 1980 something......I am sure your mom will recover fine.  My mother actually had the same surgeon who did the 1st, also do the last one...I think he even gave her a deal.  Good Luck to your mother.

[luv_babies]

I found a lot of info about breast implants at this link:

http://www.breastimplantinfo.org/augment_4faq3.html

Good luck to you and your mom.

[WakeUpCall]

Thanks everyone....I FORGOT THIS WASN'T A DOCTOR FORUM.

[WakeUpCall]

Well, just an update. My mom had a consult with a plastic surgeon and he recomended she have them removed and replaced..right away. She does not have the $$ to pay for the replacement since her ins. wont pay! So...she has decided to wait...I am very frustrated. The doc  told her this was NOT a good idea at all but she is being very stubborn. I recommended she have them removed NOW and save up for the replacements, but she wont and I can understand. She is naturally less than an A cup and her impolants are a D!! She doesnt want anyone to know. I just dont know what to do

Thansk everyone

[MsACB]

My mother found out yesterday that her implant has burst and in leaking.  That was Saturday and Monday she is to schedule an MRI and then see a surgeon after that.  Such a long wait.  She is in pain.  She had her's done in 84 and I am worried and she is in pain.  This is a foreign substance loose in her body. She is 78 and has a history of heart problems.  I want her to go into the hospital now and stop the waiting game.  I will call her doctor in the am and see if this cannot be done.  I certainly relate to your concern.  I am up now because I cannot sleep and praying for all I am worth.  I don't know what else to do.