FDA WARNING

Dr. Robert J. Brueck MD FACS, a Fort Myers plastic surgeon who is Board Certified by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, periodically uses this blog to discuss issues of health, medicine and plastic surgery. Dr. Brueck also comments on plastic surgery procedures at his web site at Beauty-by-Brueck.com, click on the link above.

On January 26th, the FDA made a post and held a press conference to discuss RARE reports of ALCL (anaplastic large cell Lymphoma) occurring in women with and without implants.

This condition is extremely rare. To show how rare this is, over the past 15 years there have been only 34 cases reported in the literature in a estimated 5-10 million women with breast implants.

WHAT IS ALCL?

This is NOT breast cancer but a form of lymphoma. Every woman with a breast implant gets a capsule or scar tissue. This tumor of lymph cells occurs between the implant and the capsule or scar tissue. Since the risk is remote and extremely rare the FDA is NOT taking implants off the market but setting up a registry or data bank to gather more information.

What should I look for?

If you have developed unexplained pain or localized swelling, or a lump go see your plastic surgeon. It may also present as asymmetry.

Characteristic of 34 cases:

Age: 28-87 (median 51)

Type Implant: 24- Silicone
7- Saline
3- not specified

Time from Implant: 8 years

Reason for Implant: 11- reconstruction
19- Augmentation
4- not specified

Again this is extremely rare. If you have any concern I would be happy to see you.

If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to visit my website at Beauty-by-Brueck.com