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Platinum in breast implants poses possible danger

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw...m.1cdca87.html

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accompanies the article if you do)

09:02 AM CST on Wednesday, February 18, 2004


By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA-TV

The Food and Drug Administration is looking into new claims of
illnesses caused by breast implants.

Breast implant surgery is the second most popular cosmetic surgery,
and millions of women have had the procedure. Now, some are alleging a
metal found in all breast implants is toxic.

In the 1980s, silicone breast implants were blamed for a variety of
illnesses. Those claims resulted in an FDA ban for general use 11
years ago. However, scientific studies since then have cleared
silicone as the culprit.

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Video:Janet St. James reports
Marlene Keeling believes, however, it was something else in the
implant that sapped her energy, caused shooting pains in her legs, and
affected her memory.

"It released significant amounts of platinum," Keeling said. "My
blood, urine, sweat, hair and nails were all tested and they contained
significant amounts of platinum."

Platinum is used to bind the shell of silicone gel and saline
implants.

Dr. Ernest Lykissa also uses it in his toxicology lab, where he keeps
it in a special sealed container.

Said Lykissa, "You know why I have it in this container? I wouldn't
dare open it unless I have personal protection."

Lykissa has tested small groups of women for platinum poisoning,
including 32 women with ruptured implants. Of those, almost half had
high platinum levels—as much as 60 percent higher than women who
didn't have silicone implants.

"I wouldn't let my dog have these things in him," Lykissa said.

Platinum has been used for years in dentistry and in medical devices,
including pacemakers. It can also be found in pollution. However,
researchers doubt normal exposure is great enough to cause the high
platinum levels found in women with ruptured implants.

As president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, UT
Southwestern's Dr. Rod Rohrich acknowledges platinum leaches into
surrounding breast tissue, but said the substance has never been
linked with specific illnesses.

"We do advocate further study because we care about our patients,"
Rohrich said.

For now, the Food and Drug Administration's official stance said
platinum "does not pose a risk."

"Certainly, I thought if a doctor is putting them in me, they're
safe," said patient Yvonne Perkins.

Perkins doesn't think so anymore. She's been diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis, and has tested positive for an extremely toxic type of
platinum. She wants young women willing to have surgery to get a
better body to see the price they might eventually pay.

Doctors are still allowed to use silicone gel implants on patients who
need breast reconstruction. The FDA recently considered approving
silicone implants for general use again, but they haven't yet given it
clearance. Some speculate the agency refused to make silicone
available to the general public until researchers are sure platinum
isn't a health risk—and FDA officials continue to investigate claims
of platinum poisoning.

E-mail jstjames@wfaa.com


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www.BreastImplantAwareness.org