Silicone Breast Implants Can Save Lives

Rosen, Heather; Brzezienski, Mark A.; Higdon, Kent K.

doi:10.1097/gox.0000000000000065

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…In contrast, Rosen and colleagues published a case report of a close‐range shotgun injury to the chest, in which the shotgun pellets were stopped by a subpectoral silicone implant. Pellets were embedded within the implant and did not penetrate the intrathoracic cavity . Unlike the reports from Pramod, Fraga‐Dolli, and Pereira, in which implant rupture was reported as collateral damage after a gunshot wound, Rosen describes a case in which a silicone implant was specifically protective against intrathoracic injury.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

A Ballistics Examination of Firearm Injuries Involving Breast Implants

Pannucci

Cyr

Moores

et al. 2017

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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This ballistics study examines whether saline breast implants can decrease tissue penetration in firearm injuries. We hypothesize that the fluid column within a saline breast implant can alter bullet velocity and/or bullet pattern of mushrooming. The two experimental groups included saline implants with 7.4 cm projection and a no implant group. The experimental design allowed the bullet to pass-through an implant and into ballistics gel (n = 10) or into ballistics gel without passage through an implant (n = 11). Shots that passed through an implant had 20.6% decreased penetration distance when compared to shots that did not pass-through an implant; this difference was statistically significant (31.9 cm vs. 40.2 cm, p < 0.001). Implant group bullets mushroomed prior to gel entry, but the no implant group mushroomed within the gel. Bullet passage through a saline breast implant results in direct bullet velocity reduction and earlier bullet mushrooming; this causes significantly decreased ballistics gel penetration.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

A Ballistics Examination of Firearm Injuries Involving Breast Implants

Pannucci

Cyr

Moores

et al. 2017

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…This work builds upon an increasing body of research showing unexpected and direct benefits of breast implants in traumatic injury. Breast implants have been correlated with injury prevention or injury minimization in firearms injuries 8,[10][11][12][13] as well as animal attacks. 9 An experimental model of gunshot injuries previously published demonstrated that the presence of a breast implant decreased soft tissue penetration by 20.6%, supporting the plausibility of implant-mediated protection.…”

Section: Positive Impact Of Breast Implantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Breast implants can minimize human injury in penetrating trauma, 8–13 which is fortunately rare. Blunt traumatic injury is more common.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Breast implants are known to improve quality of life in women seeking improved breast aesthetics and in reconstruction. [1][2][3][4] In addition to this expected benefit, breast implants have also been associated with lower overall breast cancer risk, 5 smaller breast cancer tumor size at detection, 6 improved breast cancer immunosurveillance via higher antibody recognition of mammaglobin-A and mucin-1, 7 and minimization of human injury in firearm trauma [8][9][10][11][12][13] and animal attacks. 9 Breast implants can minimize human injury in penetrating trauma, [8][9][10][11][12][13] which is fortunately rare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Breast Implants Decrease Chest Wall Trauma in Low-speed, Unrestrained Motor Vehicle Crash: An Experimental Model

Pannucci¹,

Wheeler²,

Cyr

et al. 2023

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open

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Introduction: Breast implants improve quality of life in patients seeking improved breast aesthetics, and are known to minimize human injury in the less common scenario of penetrating trauma. People commonly sustain rib and sternum fractures and thoracic injury in motor vehicle crashes (MVC), a form of blunt traumatic injury. Whether breast implants minimize injury during MVC is unknown. This study examines the potential protective effect of breast implants in low speed, unrestrained MVC. Methods: Control (medical gel) and implant (medical gel with embedded breast implant) blocks were subjected to load approximating a low speed, 10mph MVC (n=12 blocks per group). Colormetric pressure film measured pressure at the neo-chest wall position in response to load, across the gel block base. Maximum pressure and average pressure across the gel block base were compared, by group. Results: Presence of an implant significantly decreased, by 22.8%, maximum pressure experienced by the neo-chest wall (333.0 ± 58.7 psi vs 431.6 ± 37.3 psi, p=0.0006). Average pressure experienced by the neo-chest wall across the gel block base was also significantly decreased, by 28.1%, in the implant group (53.4 ± 5.6 psi vs 74.3 ± 15.7 psi, p=0.0017). Subjective analysis of all implant and control blocks supported an overall reduction in pressure for the implant group. Conclusions: Presence of a breast implant decreased maximum pressure at the chest wall by 23%, and average pressure by 28%. Patients with breast implants involved in low speed, unrestrained MVC may be less likely to sustain rib and sternum fractures and thoracic injury, when compared to patients without implants.

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“…8,9 Rosen et al were the first to show that breast implants can save a life with a case of a silicone implant stopping shotgun pellet. 10 Pannucci et al were the first to detail a report of a saline breast implant saving a patient’s life due to effects on bullet velocity. 11 Here, we report the first case in the literature of a 30-year-old female patient with silicone breast implants altering bullet trajectory and thereby saving her life.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-Saving Silicone Breast Implant After Firearm Injury: Case Report and Treatment Recommendations

McEvenue¹,

Oikonomou

Ditkofsky

et al. 2020

Plastic Surgery Case Studies

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Breast augmentation with silicone implants is one of the most commonly performed operations by plastic surgeons. Here, we report a case of a 30-year-old female patient with a ballistic injury to bilateral breast implants, where the silicone implant was likely responsible for deflecting the bullets trajectory and saving the women's life. Ballistics analysis of bullet trajectory was performed with high-resolution computed tomography scan analysis. Operative management was implant removal, pocket irrigation, and a short course of antibiotics. A literature review was performed on all previously published breast implantrelated firearm injuries. The authors advise operative management with implant removal and delay of replantation for minimum 6 months' time.

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Silicone Breast Implants Can Save Lives

Abstract: Summary:The authors present a case in which a patient sustained 2 shotgun wounds at close range, resulting in a ruptured silicone breast implant and no other injuries.

Cited by 6 publications

References 2 publications

A Ballistics Examination of Firearm Injuries Involving Breast Implants

A Ballistics Examination of Firearm Injuries Involving Breast Implants

Breast Implants Decrease Chest Wall Trauma in Low-speed, Unrestrained Motor Vehicle Crash: An Experimental Model

Life-Saving Silicone Breast Implant After Firearm Injury: Case Report and Treatment Recommendations

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