Implant History Questions
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 00:51:14 –0700
The following is what happened to me and I now have the opportunity to sit before a medical panel and the p.s. I have complained about to prove my case. If anyone has had similar problems or can give me some info. before this goes to an appeals hearing in Oct. please let me know. This is not a litigation for money. I need to make our voice heard to the medical community.
My medical records gave me the following info:
The surgery to remove approx. 20 yr. old silicone gel implants that "ruptured on removal" and were "somewhat adherent to the chest wall" lasted a total of 23 mins.
The explanting p.s. had all my records of implant surgery in Jan. 1975 explanted 2 wks. later for "local complications" and put back in. Two closed capsulotomies followed and and open capsulotomy was done in 1982. The same implants were put back in me. An attempted but unsuccessful closed capsulotomy was done in 1992. Because of burning pain under the implants and underarm pain, I had them removed in Nov. 1993 with no replacements. Removing the prostheses ruptured them and they were found to be adhered to the chest wall right through the surrounding scar capsule. One side at a time, the incised areas were flushed "copiously" and stitched closed leaving the scar capsule behind. No mention of what happened to the dacron fixation patches is mentioned in any of the records. Within 2 days of the explant surgery, my neck had swollen up and I had black and blue bruises on my neck and collarbone. After the surgery (&for the next several months) I couldn't take a deep breath without centre chest or sternum pain and developed esophagus spasms so gripping they would wake me from sleep. My B.P. took on a life of its own dancing all over the place ending up in the E.R. more than once and an unexpected ambulance ride. y health went into a fast downward spiral from there and although I stabilized between the second and third yr. after surgery, my health has not recovered. I lost my ability to work and had to declare bankruptsy. I went from a busy successful career to a small monthly disability pension.
I became so sick after that surgery that I started questioning the quality of the explant operation. I began to wonder if my increasing illness was due to toxicity from residual silicone. I have letters from well known p.s's that state this surgery takes between 1 to 4 hrs. depending on the age and integrity of the implant and if the silicone has gone to the underarm lymph nodes. one of my main complaints before surgery was the jabbing pain under my arms. I think my p.s didn't take due care with my surgery and I have reason to believe Dow "organised the p.s. community" and Dr.s were coached on how to word the O.R. reports. ex. "ruptured on removal but intact while in the body" because of the rupture fund in the settlement. Has anyone else got this exact phrase in their O.R. report. As yet I don't have a pathology report. I was given one implant in a container. On inspection it appeared to be like a demo implant I handled during a pre-implant appt. with the p.s. and it shows no indication of any dacron fixation patch anywhere. It also had a nice clean scalpel cut on it. I don't even know if the other one got to pathology and am continuing to write letters for that information.
Previous to this surgery I rarely saw a Dr. and hadn't missed a day of work in years. I excercised regularly and was physically fit. Then my life was taken over with unforgiving pain, doctors appts. and medical tests over 100 of these appts in the 2 yrs. following explant. As I am nearing my 50th birthday, I no longer can look forward to a happy retirement full of fun and travel even if I had the money, the pain I endure everyday in my spine and joints is too much. I have been sick since the summer of '93. The cost to me is incompensable.
The message I need to get through to this panel of M.D.'s is that it is important to remove the implant "en bloc" and that silicone is toxic and due care needs to be taken to see that it is ALL removed. A p.s.'s busy O.R. schedule is no excuse for our pain.
This website has been a lifesaver for me knowing that I am not alone. Thankyou in advance to all who write.
Gail