Chest Wall Silicone Granuloma Following Ruptured Silicone Breast Implant Causes Giant Chest Wall Abscess and Osteomyelitis: The First Report.

Abstract

Silicone breast implant ruptures have been widely reported in the literature. Granuloma formation is a known complication of such ruptures with reported sites including the axillae, limbs, chest wall muscles, and internal organs, such as the lungs and the liver. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reported cases of a silicone granuloma causing osteomyelitis of the sternum and multiple ribs in the absence of infection. We therefore report on the case of an 81-year-old patient who presented with an anterior chest wall discharging sinus tract on the background of a ruptured silicone breast implant. We raise awareness about the potentially devastating complications resulting from a ruptured silicone implant with relevance to cardiothoracic practice.