Mechanical tests in all regions of the PIP breast implants

Abstract

Silicone breast implants have been used for cosmetic and reconstructive breast surgery for several decades. Rupture and silicone leakage are well-known complications for silicone mammary implants. The public debate and awareness about the breast implants safety started because of the scandal associated with the Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP) manufacturer. In order to analyze rupture in these breast implants we carried out a mechanical study which included an evaluation of the mechanical shell properties, so that we can identify if the shell properties are uniform for the whole implant.