Faculty Collaboration Database

Silicone gel infiltration of a peripheral nerve and constrictive neuropathy following rupture of a breast prosthesis. Plast Reconstr Surg 1992 May;89(5):949-52

Date

05/01/1992

Pubmed ID

1313982

DOI

10.1097/00006534-199205000-00029

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0026648076 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   35 Citations

Abstract

Following rupture of a subpectoral breast prosthesis, massive amounts of silicone gel migrated into the arm of a patient. The patient developed painful paresthesias and decreased sensation in the cutaneous distribution of the superficial radial nerve. Nerve conduction studies showed both an increase in distal latency and decreased amplitude in this nerve compared with the normal opposite side. Subsequent neurolysis confirmed dense fibrosis surrounding the nerve. Silicone droplets also were observed within the thickened epineurium of the median nerve, but no electrophysiologic evidence of neuropathy occurred. Multiple debridements of the subcutaneous tissue of the arm were necessary. In one of these specimens, histologic sections demonstrated silicone gel infiltration of a subcutaneous nerve. This is the first reported case of silicone gel infiltration of a nerve and constrictive neuropathy associated with a prosthesis rupture.

Author List

Sanger JR, Matloub HS, Yousif NJ, Komorowski R

Author

James R. Sanger MD Professor in the Plastic Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Female
Fibrosis
Foreign-Body Reaction
Gels
Humans
Middle Aged
Nerve Compression Syndromes
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Prostheses and Implants
Prosthesis Failure
Radial Nerve
Silicones