The term "silastic" is a misuse of the trademark Silastic™. It has almost become a generic term to identify silicone-based rubber products. When used, it is generally understood to mean a Dow Corning product, especially if it is capitalized. However, there are many exceptions and there is no reliable meaning to the term when it is used by the medical profession. In the context of implant identification, more information is needed. In most instances, operative and pathology reports have indices which can often definitively identify the products. 

In the plastics trade, the term "Silastic" is generally more descriptive and most individuals skilled in the art use the trade names for silicones. For example, in the context of 3M, one does not and cannot use the term "Silastic". 3M products do not incorporate "Silastic" materials. Their chemistry is based on different silicones. Their products are trademarked Nusil™. This class of materials was developed from the General Electric silicone technology originally used in prosthetic devices that competed with Dow Corning. Currently, Nusil Corporation is owned by Union Carbide since about 1990. It was originally a division of Inamed, which in turn was the oversight company for McGhan Medical. 

There are other sources of silicones, all of which have their own trade names. They include Japanese, German and French firms. To further complicate the issue, some foreign manufacturers are licensed by Dow Chemical (not Dow Corning) to use the term "Silastic" for licensed products. 

In summary, the word "silastic" or "Silastic" in an operative report by itself is not sufficient to definitively support the identification of the implants' manufacturer.