Ask a Surgeon - Breast Augmentation - Would you please tell me if I have to remove my PIP implant or not? It's a big issue.

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Would you please tell me if I have to remove my PIP implant or not? It's a big issue.

Q:

As you know, now a days arguments about PIP implants is so far, I just want to know what is your suggestion about removal?
Thanks so much.

A:

The manufacture has declared bankruptcy, the original CEO who started this European company is allegedly very ill and recently placed in jail but, the family has started a new company that has no liability for the biomedical device that has been implanted inside you. Always consider the manufacture when having a a biomedical device installed. Mentor and Allergan implants are guaranteed for the life of the implant and even provide insurance policies for purchase at a nominal fee to cover the cost of replacement. These devices are bit more expensive than the PIP implants.

The current recommendation to the best of my understanding is that these devices should be removed and/ or replaced. Again, the vendor is long gone. Your surgeon is not normally considered a vendor and therefore, also has minimal to no liability. Therefore, the cost is passed on to the patient. There may coverage to cover the cost of removal and replacement depending upon which country it was installed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly_Implant_Prothèse). Best,

Gary R Culbertson, MD, FACS

Gary R. Culbertson, MD, FACS - View Other Answers by this Doctor

Sumter, SC

Practice Website

A:

The answer to your question about the need to remove your PIP implants depends on which implants you have. In the United States we only had the pre filled saline implants. These, while they do have a failure rate and need to be replace, have no known significant risks. The problem that Europe is experiencing is with the PIP gel implants. The need for removal of these is being debated. In some countries they are recommending removal of all of these implants, others say wait and see what problems develop.