Silicon in Human Breast Tissue Surrounding Silicone Gel Prostheses: A Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Investigation of Normal, Fibrocystic and Peri-prosthetic Breast Tissue

O. Winding Institute of Hygiene and the Budde Laboratory (Head: B. Holma), the Institute of Forensic Medicine (Head: J. Voigt), University of Copenhagen, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Head: S. Bolund), Diakonissestiftelsens Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

L. Christensen Institute of Hygiene and the Budde Laboratory (Head: B. Holma), the Institute of Forensic Medicine (Head: J. Voigt), University of Copenhagen, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Head: S. Bolund), Diakonissestiftelsens Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

J. L. Thomsen Institute of Hygiene and the Budde Laboratory (Head: B. Holma), the Institute of Forensic Medicine (Head: J. Voigt), University of Copenhagen, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Head: S. Bolund), Diakonissestiftelsens Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

M. Nielsen Institute of Hygiene and the Budde Laboratory (Head: B. Holma), the Institute of Forensic Medicine (Head: J. Voigt), University of Copenhagen, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Head: S. Bolund), Diakonissestiftelsens Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

V. Breiting Institute of Hygiene and the Budde Laboratory (Head: B. Holma), the Institute of Forensic Medicine (Head: J. Voigt), University of Copenhagen, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Head: S. Bolund), Diakonissestiftelsens Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

B. Brandt Institute of Hygiene and the Budde Laboratory (Head: B. Holma), the Institute of Forensic Medicine (Head: J. Voigt), University of Copenhagen, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Head: S. Bolund), Diakonissestiftelsens Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract

Implanted silicone breast prostheses leak silicone gel through the intact membrane. In order to determine the exact location and to achieve a semiquantitative estimation of the amount of silicone in the surrounding tissue, a method involving scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) was used. By this method we were able to demonstrate the presence of the element silicon (Si) (main component of silicone, a polymer with a general formula e.g. (CH₃[Si(CH₃)₂O]_n Si(CH₃)₃) along the inner border of vacuoles corresponding to the light microscopic localization of droplets and in macrophages. The tissue adjacent to the prostheses had a higher silicon content than the control tissue.

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Silicon in Human Breast Tissue Surrounding Silicone Gel Prostheses: A Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Investigation of Normal, Fibrocystic and Peri-prosthetic Breast Tissue

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Silicon in Human Breast Tissue Surrounding Silicone Gel Prostheses: A Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Investigation of Normal, Fibrocystic and Peri-prosthetic Breast Tissue

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