Silicone breast implants in safety alert

ONE of Britain’s most popular breast implant brands is at the centre of a safety alert.

Manufacturer Silimed has told surgeons not to use its silicone gel-filled implants until further notice due to contamination fears.

It is thought at least 10,000 British women already have the implants and the medical safety watchdog is urgently investigating whether anyone’s health is at risk.

All of Silimed’s other cosmetic surgery implants – including those designed to enhance the calves and buttocks – are also covered by the alert. In a letter to cosmetic surgeons, the Brazilian firm says it ‘identified a potential source of particles’ during a safety audit. The type of particles is not known, but they were found to be contaminating the surface of some implants in the factory.

Silimed, the world’s third-biggest breast implant maker, has had its CE mark – an accreditation which means a product meets EU quality standards – suspended.

John Wilkinson, of government watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Reg- ulatory Agency, said it was investigating any potential risk to health. He added: ‘In the meantime, we would recommend that people with these implants who have questions should seek advice from their surgeon.’

In its letter, Silimed said the particles ‘show low risk’. A spokesman added that the company is not recalling the implants or advising they are replaced.

It follows the scandal over French-made PIP breast implants, which were banned in Britain in 2010 after they were found to be up to six times as likely to rupture as other brands.