[Late reactions following implantation of silicone prostheses]

Silicone implants can provoke local reactions (granulomas, lymphadenopathy) and also systemic side-effects. About 80 case reports in the literature describe autoimmune disease following silicone augmentation. The clinical spectrum includes signs and symptoms of progressive sclerosis, mixed connective tissue disease and lupus erythematosus. We present 4 cases with possible autoimmune phenomena related to breast augmentation. After explantation in 1 case the clinical and immunological features disappeared, and the antinuclear antibodies subsequently decreased from a titre of 1:1280 (speckled form) to 1:160 (homogeneous form). To our knowledge there are no similar reports on systemic complications following the use of silicone in urology.