Breast Implants After Mastectomy Often Result in Complications

[Guest guest]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179189,00.html

Breast Implants After Mastectomy Often Result in

Complications

Monday, December 19, 2005

•FDA OKs Breast Implants Under Conditions•Breast

Cancer: Many Opt for Mastectomy

CHICAGO — Breast implants in women who have undergone

mastectomies often result in complications that

require more surgery, a study in Denmark found.

Over a period of up to four years, about one-third

developed at least one potentially serious

complication, including thick, tight scarring and

infections, the researchers reported. Implant ruptures

were rare, with only five reported among the 574

Danish women studied.

Overall, about 20 percent of the women studied

required surgery to treat the problems, according to

the study by Danish Cancer Society researchers and

scientists at the International Epidemiology Institute

in Rockville, Md.

One surgeon said in an accompanying editorial that the

numbers are " alarmingly high and arguably

unacceptable. "

The study appears in the December issue of Archives of

Surgery. It was paid for by the institute, which

receives funding from the Dow Corning Corp., a former

maker of silicone breast implants.

Zuckerman, president of the National Research

Center for Women and Families, said the complication

rate for implants in mastectomy patients is actually

much higher than the study suggests.

Most participants got implants several weeks after

breast removal surgery, whereas most U.S. mastectomy

patients who choose implants get them when their

breasts are removed, Zuckerman said. That method,

involving a single round of surgery, is often easier

psychologically because women wake up from their

mastectomies with refashioned breasts, but it is also

more stressful on the body, she said.

Also, she said the participants in the study did not

undergo MRI scans, which are the best way to detect

ruptures.

" This study is really missing the boat, " said

Zuckerman, whose group has opposed efforts to return

silicone implants to the market.

All of the women studied got implants, most of them

made of silicone.

Silicone implants have been restricted in the United

States for over a decade because of fears that

ruptures and leakage might damage women's health. But

some mastectomy patients have continued to receive

them.

The American Cancer Society estimates more than

200,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast

cancer this year. At least half will have

mastectomies, and Zuckerman said about two-thirds of

those patients choose some type of reconstructive

surgery.

Many have breasts fashioned from excess flesh from

their abdomens — a method that is less likely than

implants to result in thick scars and generally

requires fewer " revisional " operations, said Dr. Navin

Singh, a s Hopkins University surgeon and author

of the accompanying editorial.

Singh said mastectomy patients are more prone to

complications than healthy women seeking implants for

purely cosmetic reasons, because much of their breast

tissue and surrounding skin are removed during cancer

surgery, giving doctors less to work with.

Also, some mastectomy patients may undergo radiation

and chemotherapy, which can increase the risk of

implant complications, he said.

Meredith Cobb, a hot line counselor for the

Chicago-based breast cancer advocacy group Y-ME, said

her silicone implants are not symmetrical and she

needs more surgery to fix them. Still, the Colorado

Springs, Colo., woman, who was diagnosed with breast

cancer in 2003 at 26, said her implants have helped

her " feel whole again. "

" I wouldn't give them up now, " she said. " A lot of

people might not go through another surgery, but it's

something that I'm willing to do, " Cobb said.

[Guest guest]

I read this article from another news source. I just can't stomach Faux News.

;-)

>

> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179189,00.html

>

> Breast Implants After Mastectomy Often Result in

> Complications

> Monday, December 19, 2005

>

> •FDA OKs Breast Implants Under Conditions•Breast

> Cancer: Many Opt for Mastectomy

>

> CHICAGO — Breast implants in women who have undergone

> mastectomies often result in complications that

> require more surgery, a study in Denmark found.

>

> Over a period of up to four years, about one-third

> developed at least one potentially serious

> complication, including thick, tight scarring and

> infections, the researchers reported. Implant ruptures

> were rare, with only five reported among the 574

> Danish women studied.

>

> Overall, about 20 percent of the women studied

> required surgery to treat the problems, according to

> the study by Danish Cancer Society researchers and

> scientists at the International Epidemiology Institute

> in Rockville, Md.

>

> One surgeon said in an accompanying editorial that the

> numbers are " alarmingly high and arguably

> unacceptable. "

>

> The study appears in the December issue of Archives of

> Surgery. It was paid for by the institute, which

> receives funding from the Dow Corning Corp., a former

> maker of silicone breast implants.

>

> Zuckerman, president of the National Research

> Center for Women and Families, said the complication

> rate for implants in mastectomy patients is actually

> much higher than the study suggests.

>

>

> Most participants got implants several weeks after

> breast removal surgery, whereas most U.S. mastectomy

> patients who choose implants get them when their

> breasts are removed, Zuckerman said. That method,

> involving a single round of surgery, is often easier

> psychologically because women wake up from their

> mastectomies with refashioned breasts, but it is also

> more stressful on the body, she said.

>

> Also, she said the participants in the study did not

> undergo MRI scans, which are the best way to detect

> ruptures.

>

> " This study is really missing the boat, " said

> Zuckerman, whose group has opposed efforts to return

> silicone implants to the market.

>

> All of the women studied got implants, most of them

> made of silicone.

>

> Silicone implants have been restricted in the United

> States for over a decade because of fears that

> ruptures and leakage might damage women's health. But

> some mastectomy patients have continued to receive

> them.

>

> The American Cancer Society estimates more than

> 200,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast

> cancer this year. At least half will have

> mastectomies, and Zuckerman said about two-thirds of

> those patients choose some type of reconstructive

> surgery.

>

> Many have breasts fashioned from excess flesh from

> their abdomens — a method that is less likely than

> implants to result in thick scars and generally

> requires fewer " revisional " operations, said Dr. Navin

> Singh, a s Hopkins University surgeon and author

> of the accompanying editorial.

>

> Singh said mastectomy patients are more prone to

> complications than healthy women seeking implants for

> purely cosmetic reasons, because much of their breast

> tissue and surrounding skin are removed during cancer

> surgery, giving doctors less to work with.

>

> Also, some mastectomy patients may undergo radiation

> and chemotherapy, which can increase the risk of

> implant complications, he said.

>

> Meredith Cobb, a hot line counselor for the

> Chicago-based breast cancer advocacy group Y-ME, said

> her silicone implants are not symmetrical and she

> needs more surgery to fix them. Still, the Colorado

> Springs, Colo., woman, who was diagnosed with breast

> cancer in 2003 at 26, said her implants have helped

> her " feel whole again. "

>

> " I wouldn't give them up now, " she said. " A lot of

> people might not go through another surgery, but it's

> something that I'm willing to do, " Cobb said.

>

[Guest guest]

Me either, I think Fox News is so biased, it gags me.

Lynda

At 05:00 PM 12/20/2005, you wrote:

>I read this article from another news source. I just can't stomach Faux

>News. ;-)

>

> >

> >

>

<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,179189,00.html>http://www.foxnews.com/story\

/0,2933,179189,00.html

> >

> > Breast Implants After Mastectomy Often Result in

> > Complications

> > Monday, December 19, 2005

> >

> > •FDA OKs Breast Implants Under Conditions•Breast

> > Cancer: Many Opt for Mastectomy

> >

> > CHICAGO — Breast implants in women who have undergone

> > mastectomies often result in complications that

> > require more surgery, a study in Denmark found.

> >

> > Over a period of up to four years, about one-third

> > developed at least one potentially serious

> > complication, including thick, tight scarring and

> > infections, the researchers reported. Implant ruptures

> > were rare, with only five reported among the 574

> > Danish women studied.

> >

> > Overall, about 20 percent of the women studied

> > required surgery to treat the problems, according to

> > the study by Danish Cancer Society researchers and

> > scientists at the International Epidemiology Institute

> > in Rockville, Md.

> >

> > One surgeon said in an accompanying editorial that the

> > numbers are " alarmingly high and arguably

> > unacceptable. "

> >

> > The study appears in the December issue of Archives of

> > Surgery. It was paid for by the institute, which

> > receives funding from the Dow Corning Corp., a former

> > maker of silicone breast implants.

> >

> > Zuckerman, president of the National Research

> > Center for Women and Families, said the complication

> > rate for implants in mastectomy patients is actually

> > much higher than the study suggests.

> >

> >

> > Most participants got implants several weeks after

> > breast removal surgery, whereas most U.S. mastectomy

> > patients who choose implants get them when their

> > breasts are removed, Zuckerman said. That method,

> > involving a single round of surgery, is often easier

> > psychologically because women wake up from their

> > mastectomies with refashioned breasts, but it is also

> > more stressful on the body, she said.

> >

> > Also, she said the participants in the study did not

> > undergo MRI scans, which are the best way to detect

> > ruptures.

> >

> > " This study is really missing the boat, " said

> > Zuckerman, whose group has opposed efforts to return

> > silicone implants to the market.

> >

> > All of the women studied got implants, most of them

> > made of silicone.

> >

> > Silicone implants have been restricted in the United

> > States for over a decade because of fears that

> > ruptures and leakage might damage women's health. But

> > some mastectomy patients have continued to receive

> > them.

> >

> > The American Cancer Society estimates more than

> > 200,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast

> > cancer this year. At least half will have

> > mastectomies, and Zuckerman said about two-thirds of

> > those patients choose some type of reconstructive

> > surgery.

> >

> > Many have breasts fashioned from excess flesh from

> > their abdomens — a method that is less likely than

> > implants to result in thick scars and generally

> > requires fewer " revisional " operations, said Dr. Navin

> > Singh, a s Hopkins University surgeon and author

> > of the accompanying editorial.

> >

> > Singh said mastectomy patients are more prone to

> > complications than healthy women seeking implants for

> > purely cosmetic reasons, because much of their breast

> > tissue and surrounding skin are removed during cancer

> > surgery, giving doctors less to work with.

> >

> > Also, some mastectomy patients may undergo radiation

> > and chemotherapy, which can increase the risk of

> > implant complications, he said.

> >

> > Meredith Cobb, a hot line counselor for the

> > Chicago-based breast cancer advocacy group Y-ME, said

> > her silicone implants are not symmetrical and she

> > needs more surgery to fix them. Still, the Colorado

> > Springs, Colo., woman, who was diagnosed with breast

> > cancer in 2003 at 26, said her implants have helped

> > her " feel whole again. "

> >

> > " I wouldn't give them up now, " she said. " A lot of

> > people might not go through another surgery, but it's

> > something that I'm willing to do, " Cobb said.

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>Opinions expressed are NOT meant to take the place of advice given by

>licensed health care professionals. Consult your physician or licensed

>health care professional before commencing any medical treatment.

>

> " Do not let either the medical authorities or the politicians mislead you.

>Find out what the facts are, and make your own decisions about how to live

>a happy life and how to work for a better world. " - Linus ing,

>two-time Nobel Prize Winner (1954, Chemistry; 1963, Peace)

>

>See our photos website! Enter " implants " for access at this link:

><http://.shutterfly.com/action/>http://.shutterfly.co\

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