In the day and age of advanced surgical technologies, plastic surgeries have become a commonplace. Plastic surgery technology has advanced so far that now even major surgeries are being performed that alter the whole face/body part to a great extent. One popular plastic surgery is breast implants which have now become very common in the West. With advances in surgical tech, more and more women, not just young, but also mature women are going for them. Earlier what used to be the privilege of the few rich, is today a common trend.
Breast Implants Come With A Price To Pay With One’s Health
What possible health risks could breast implants possibly come with? After all, they are just implants made from safe silicone, implanted in the woman’s breast! However, the unfortunate reality is that a great number of women have suffered from malignant cancer as a result of their implants. You might think that the ‘causation is not equal to correlation’ may apply here, however, it the consistent data has proven that it was the breast implants indeed that led to cause cancer. So let’s take a look at how breast implants lead to cancerous growth in the body.
Breast Implants Can Possible Cause Lymphomatous Cancer
The so-called ‘breast implant illness‘ phenomenon is actually a case of lymphoma which is named by its medical name as ‘breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma or BIA-ALCL. It has been discovered in several hundred women all over the world. Also, it has been observed that the disease affects mostly those patients who received textured implants, which are more popular in Europe as compared to the U.S.
The aforementioned BIA-ALCL is rare cancer that affects the immune system and is classified as a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, instead of breast cancer. The ALCL develops inside the scar tissue and also the fluid pocket located near the implant.
Although, as per the consistent observations it has been observed that women with both textured and non-textured implants suffer from the cancer, the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that macro-textured implants such as the one from the Biocell brand have a higher possibility to cause ALCL, according to the director of the FDA’s Office of Surgical and Infection Control Devices.
Unfortunately, the use of breast implants has not stopped yet as more women get breast implants done without considering the possibility of developing this cancer and other risks.
The Brief View Of The Lawsuits Filed Against Allergan By UK Women
While the United States has seen its share of cases of cancer caused by breast implants, now cases are even rising in Europe, especially the United Kingdom. According to certain reports, more than 50 women in the country developed an illness due to breast implants, of which 20 have already filed a lawsuit against not only the surgeons but also the implant manufacturing companies.
The losses covered under the compensation are not only the initial money spent on getting the implants fitted but also the amount required to getting it removed and the amount for causing distress and for putting them at the risk of getting lymphomatous cancer.
The lawsuit is mostly directed toward a renowned manufacturer of breast implants going by the name ‘Allergan.’ The company is known for making breast implants that are macro-textured and is a subsidiary of the Biocell company. As a result of growing cases of cancer and other precursory illnesses caused by their implants all over the world, Biocell had recalled many of their breast implants from all over the world. Biocell also had its own concerns that their textured and saline, silicone-filled breast implants as well as tissue expanders were causing BIA-ALCL.
A Brief Look At The Case Of Lizzy Bromfield, One Of The Plaintiffs
Lizzy Bromfield, a 50-year-old woman is one of the many in the United Kingdom who have filed legal claims against the manufacturer Biocell. According to the details, she got the breast implants implanted in the year 2005 but developed a lump in her right breast in the year 2016. The tests conducted on the fluid taken from here right breast indicated that she had BIA-ALCL.
Soon, she got the implants removed and has gotten rid of the cancer as a result. However, not all women suffering from BIA-ALCL were so fortunate. After removing their implants and the scar tissue around them, they had to go through additional chemotherapy or other treatments for curing cancer.
