By Lara Holmes

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS, for its name in Spanish) under the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, has received 269 reports of incidents of breast implants from the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), and has already made the withdrawal of 391 of these products, of which a 70 percent (275) presented some type of breakage.

So far, according to the agency, all regions have provided almost all of their data and it is estimated that the number of women with silicone breast implants PIP in Spain is 18,500, having deployed some 37,000 prosthesis.

 

Of these, only 4.2 percent were implemented in health centers of the National Health Service (NHS), which are currently being treated properly to keep track of all implants.

 

For women who have been attending private centers and that it has not been possible to go to the private clinic where they underwent surgery for a medical visit, the regions have provided a list of reference centers to which women can go to receive the right care at the center.

In addition, despite the opinion of the Scientific Committee on Emerging Health and Re-Identified Risks (SCENIHR) of the European Commission, which found no association of breast implants with cancer and the lack of evidence of health risks above other breast implants, the AEMPS continues to recommend to all people with breast implants to check their labeling and in case of being PIP, to contact their surgeon to undergo a review and check their status.

In the case rupture of the prosthesis is detected or suspected they must proceed to its withdrawal. In the absence of clinical symptoms or deterioration of the prosthesis, the decision will be taken for extraction individually, together with the surgeon, for the best therapeutic decision based on the aesthetic and medical circumstances of each person.

On the other hand, they warn that, if not carried out a withdrawal of prosthesis, they must undergo clinical and radiological follow up every 6 months.