Objectives-To determine whether women with silicone breast protheses have more rheumatic complaints than controls. Methods-The study included 287 women who had silicone breast protheses implanted between 1978-90. For every patient a female control of the same age was selected who had had an aesthetic operation in the same year. A questionnaire was sent to this retrospective cohort of women with silicone breast protheses and controls. Results-Questionnaires were returned by 235 cases (82%) and 210 controls (73%). Patients reported more symptoms arising after surgery than controls (0.6 v 0 3 complaints per subject, p < 0.001). The average interval between surgery and onset of complaints was 5 1 years for patients and 5 9 for controls. Complaints presented by patients were: painful joints (p < 0.005), burning eyes (p < 0.01), and skin abnormalities (p < 0-005). Differences in the use of antirheumatic drugs or medical consultations related to rheumatic symptoms did not reach statistical significance. Further information obtained from the patients and controls reporting rheumatic symptoms did not reveal the presence of a specific syndrome in connection with silicone materials. Conclusion-Women with silicone breast protheses report more rheumatic complaints after silicone implantation than controls, but there is no evidence of increased prevalence of common rheumatic diseases.

Level IV, retrospective case series.

Level III, retrospective comparative series.

Our study demonstrates an objective method of biomechanical tendon adhesion assessment in a rat model.

Objective: Trapeziometacarpal (TM) joint arthritis is a common source of hand pain in patients presenting to the hand surgeon’s clinic. Long-term data on the natural history of symptomatic TM arthritis is lacking.Methods: We identified 251 patients with symptomatic TM arthritis and performed a retrospective chart review which identified treatment modalities (including surgery) and long term outcomes which were assessed via a telephone survey.Results: We found that of the 251 patients who presented with symptomatic TM arthritis, the 114 patients who had surgery had less pain and disability in the long term than those patients who were treated conservatively with splinting or injection (average pain score 1.8 vs. 3.8). However, the majority of patients did not ultimately undergo surgery.Conclusions: Although patients fare better from a pain and function standpoint with surgery, surgery is not inevitable.