Death by Implants: Critical Analysis of the FDA-MAUDE Database on Breast Implant-related Mortality

Since the 1992 moratorium by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the debate on the association of breast implants with systemic illnesses has been ongoing. Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma has also raised significant safety concerns in recent years.

A systematic search of the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database was performed to identify all cases of breast implant-associated deaths reported to the FDA.

The search identified 50 reported cases of apparent implant-related mortality; breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma comprised the majority of fatal outcomes (n = 21, 42%), followed by lymphoma (n = 4, 8%), breast cancer (n = 3, 6%), pancreatic cancer (n = 2, 4%), implant rupture (n = 2, 4%), and postoperative infections (n = 2, 4%). Single cases (n = 1, 2% each) of leukemia, small bowel cancer, lung disease, pneumonia, autoimmune and joint disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, liver failure, and sudden death, and 2 cases (4%) of newborn deaths, to mothers with breast implants, were also identified. A literature review demonstrated that 54% of alleged implant-related deaths were not truly associated with breast implant use: the majority of these reports (82%) originated from the public and third-party sources, rather than evidence-based reports by health-care professionals and journal articles.

Although there exists a need for more comprehensive reporting in federal databases, the information available should be considered for a more complete understanding of implant-associated adverse outcomes. With only 46% of FDA-reported implant-related deaths demonstrated to be truly associated with breast implant use, there exists a need for public awareness and education on breast implant safety.