Abstract
A woman with a history of bilateral mastectomy and silicone implants for fibrocystic disease and a history of atrial septal defect repair presented with pleural nodules on a chest radiograph. A thorascopic biopsy performed for possible mesothelioma demonstrated chronic inflammation and focal pleural fibrosis due to a foreign-body reaction secondary to silicone. This was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive radiograph elemental analysis. As the population ages, the increasing frequency of ruptured silicone implants and the need for heart surgery may result in a corresponding increase in the risk for fibrothorax secondary to inadvertent silicone introduction during surgery.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1854-1857 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Chest |
Volume | 127 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Cardiac surgery
- Fibrothorax
- Silicone breast implants
- Silicone thorax
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine