El uso de prótesis mamarias de silicona en Puerto Rico / The use of silicone breast prosthesis in Puerto Rican

RESUMO

To obtain data on the use of gel-filled silicone breast implants in Puerto Rico, a study was undertaken by the Division of Plastic Surgery of the University of Puerto Rico. Questionnaires, designed to obtain information about their breast implant patients, were mailed to the 22 plastic surgeons in Puerto Rico. Sixty-eight percent of the plastic surgeons responded. The collected data showed that 1,682 patients received gel-filled silicone breast implants, of whom breast augmentation accounted for 82 per cent , and post-mastectomy reconstruction for 18 per cent . Capsular contracture occurred in 16 per cent and early complications in 2.5 per cent of the patients. Autoimmune disease was rare (.0006 per cent ), as was breast cancer (.0002 per cent ). Very few patients in Puerto Rico received polyurethane foam covered breast implants (.005 per cent ). The risk of problems associated with breast implants in our Island appears to be very low