polyurethene breast implants

If you are considering an implant, then it's worth knowing about polyurthene implants. Not many surgeons offer, or even mention them, in Australia since they are relatively new here.   However, they are certainly worth knowing about.

3 years ago, I chose to have polyurthene implants following my mastectomy, and I couldn't be happier with it. 

What is a polyurthene implant and why is it different to regular silicone implants?

Polyurethane implants have a 1mm thick medical grade polyurethane foam surface which is bonded to the outer shell of a silicone implant.  The surface breaks down over the first 2 years and is absorbed into the capsule with a tiny amount passing out through the urine.

It's because of this coating that these implants are  reputed to have less than 1% capsular contraction rate versus 15% to 30% for the regular silicione gel implants (Vasquez 1999).

The other benefit is that the implant stays exactly where the surgeon places it due to its special coating which has a velcro effect. This contrasts to the smooth and textured implants which rotate inside the chest wall, causing pain and additional surgery.

I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive about these implants initially due to the stories coming out of the US.  In the 1990's, the polys were withdrawn from sale in the US  since there were concerns that, when the polyurthene broke down, it released tiny quantities of TDA (2,4 toluenediamine) which has been known to cause cancer in animals.  The study was actually flawed but that didn't stem the subseqent hysteria in the US.

Finally, in 2004, the FDA found that the lifetime risk of   the implants causing cancer was about 1 in a million. Unfortunately, by that time, the manufacturere had gone out of business so very few polys were around. However, in Brazil, they have used polys continuoulsy since the 1970s and papers published do not reflect any such concerns.

So, there you have it.  Food for thought.....