[Silicone breast implants with silicone gel and autoimmune disease--are they related?]

Silicone breast implants are used for breast reconstruction and breast augmentation. In the late 80's anecdotal literature describing a possible connection between silicone gel filled breast implants and autoimmune disease accumulated. Emerging concern about the safety of silicone gel implants had led the FDA to restrict their use. The continued use of the implants in postmastectomy reconstruction was allowed, as was their use in a small number of breast augmentation patients who were willing to enroll in long-term studies. In recent years, large meta-analyses established the fact that there is no association between silicone gel breast implants and autoimmune disease. We review the current literature, emphasizing the most important epidemiologic studies.