In January 2012, the health alert for defective breast implants from the French company PIP (Poly Implant Prothèse) breaks out in Italy. Professor Francesco D'Andrea, full professor of Plastic Surgery and director of the Plastic Surgery Specialization School at the Second University of Naples, conducts an investigation collecting data from Neapolitan plastic surgeons who admitted to using the incriminated implants on their patients.
These are some well-known names in aesthetic surgery. "In particular, at one office alone, at least fifteen hundred have been implanted over the years" reveals the professor, immediately adding that "the colleague is, however, informing his patients that PIP implants were used."
"An official registry of numbers was never created. That's why I wanted to conduct my own investigation. And I counted over three thousand implants. This means that the estimates from the Capital have underestimated the extent of the problem."
Thus, the theory put forward by luminaries in the field is confirmed - from Professor Giuseppe D'Aiuto of Pascale Hospital to Professor Roberto D'Alessio of Cardarelli Hospital to Dr. Alfredo Borriello of Vecchio Pellegrini Hospital to D'Andrea himself - all of whom have always maintained that the phenomenon of implants used in Italy is much larger than official figures released by competent authorities.
The professor: "The phenomenon is larger than official figures. Emergency underestimated"
For two weeks, clinics have been open to reassure patients at Pascale, Policlinico Sun, and Cardarelli hospitals. These spaces are dedicated both to mastectomy patients after cancer surgery and to aesthetic surgery patients who are PIP implant carriers.
Professor D'Andrea explains: "Since the opening of the clinic dedicated to PIP implant patients, more than 200 appointments have been registered and over 400 phone calls received. The initial findings from the visits and phone calls indicate, first and foremost, the presence of considerable psychosis created by media alarmism."
"We have also recorded that 25% of patients do not know the name of their implanted prosthesis. So far, however, we have no evidence of rupture. Numerous requests for implant removal, despite no problems being detected."
"PIP implants are ticking time bombs - concludes the professor - therefore anyone who knows they have them must consult their surgeon or a specialist to evaluate the path forward."
Currently, public facilities can only perform implant removal in cases where a specific problem is demonstrated. It is not possible to replace implants in aesthetic surgery cases. In France, both removal and re-implantation are reimbursed.
Maria (a pseudonym), 24 years old, had been operated on with PIP silicone implants six years ago, and a year and a half ago accidentally discovered breast cancer. She was 19 when she decided to have breast augmentation. "It was a dream I had for a long time," she says. Maria was operated on in Rome where the PIP implants were inserted.
"For the first few years, no problems. Then, about a year ago, a routine check-up and the discovery: breast cancer. I had a breast ultrasound and discovered a nodule hidden under the prosthesis. It was impossible to detect with simple palpation. And after the needle aspiration, I discovered it was cancer and I was operated on urgently."
"The nodule was hidden, difficult to detect and asymptomatic - she says - if I hadn't noticed it could have developed, grown and caused metastasis." Maria decided to sue the French company and join the class action for damages.
"When the news first broke about the French PIP implant scandal, I literally jumped out of my chair. Two years ago I had been in France, in Nice, to have breast surgery. The procedure was performed at a very reputable clinic and I had not worried at all about knowing what type of implant had been placed in me," says Silvia, 54, a Neapolitan doctor.
"First thing I did was call the plastic surgeon to find out if I too was an unknowing PIP carrier. He reassured me verbally, then sent me an email stating what type of implant he had placed in me. Despite his reassurances, I still wanted to undergo a breast examination. I did it privately. Fortunately, the prosthesis is intact and I have no problems."
This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not in any way replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For any medical questions or concerns, it is essential to consult your physician or a qualified specialist.
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