On the failure of silicone breast implants: new insights by mapping the mechanical properties of implant shells

By means of statistical failure analysis (Weibull analysis) applied to a mapping of mechanical properties of silicone breast implants a clear separation according to product quality is obtained. This review summarizes the knowledge on rupture (in vivo as well as under laboratory conditions) of gel‐f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer international 2014-02, Vol.63 (2), p.172-178
Main Authors: Schubert, Dirk W, Kaschta, Joachim, Horch, Raymund E, Walter, Bastian L, Daenicke, Jonas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Biological and medical sciences
Exact sciences and technology
failure
Forms of application and semi-finished materials
mapping
mechanical properties
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
PIP
Poly Implant Prothèse
Polymer industry, paints, wood
silicone breast implants
Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases
Surgery of the genital tract and mammary gland
Technology of polymers
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Summary:By means of statistical failure analysis (Weibull analysis) applied to a mapping of mechanical properties of silicone breast implants a clear separation according to product quality is obtained. This review summarizes the knowledge on rupture (in vivo as well as under laboratory conditions) of gel‐filled silicone breast implants, which has been an open question since the first implantation in 1962. We present recent progress which has been made by a mapping of the mechanical properties of the shell material together with a statistical failure analysis by means of a Weibull fit. Reference implants and intact as well as ruptured explants are tested after several years in vivo using tensile tests. Up to 110 dumbbell‐shaped specimens per implant are measured allowing a detailed mapping of the mechanical properties of the silicone shell. Therefore, it is possible to illustrate the results of the tensile tests by mapping the measured values of the implants in the form of a contour plot revealing novel insights. The contour plots clearly display that the mechanical behaviour (e.g. stress at break) varies significantly over the shell. Additionally, a map is proposed which clearly shows separated clusters for different manufacturers and product categories. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
ISSN:0959-8103
1097-0126
DOI:10.1002/pi.4619