Still's-like Disease Induced by Breast Implants in a Middle-Aged Female Health Professional

We report a case of silicone-induced Still's-like inflammatory syndrome diagnosed after extensive investigation in the department of internal medicine of a secondary hospital. A 45-year-old female healthcare specialist presented with fever, headache, sore throat, myalgia and fatigue. A history of breast augmentation surgery in 2007 was confirmed. Physical examination of the patient was normal while laboratory tests showed a very high white blood cell count. The patient was admitted to hospital due to suspected infection and further laboratory tests were carried out. Inflammatory markers were persistently high despite empirical treatment with doxycycline for possible infection by Rickettsia/Coxiella. As the fever did not resolve and the patient had not improved after more than 3 weeks, the case was investigated as fever of unknown origin. Eventually, the existence of liver granulomas as well as the presence of anti-silicone antibodies confirmed the diagnosis of silicone-induced Still's-like inflammatory syndrome. In conclusion, this case supports a linkage between silicone breast implants and autoimmune connective tissue diseases.

Consider and investigate a silicone-induced foreign body reaction as a cause of fever of unknown origin.Consider the possible harmful outcomes of breast augmentation.Develop a greater understanding of the potential linkage between silicone breast implants and autoimmune connective tissue diseases.