Fatal Cancer Related to Buttock Implants
April 19, 2019
All surgical procedures come with a degree of risk, including infections, reactions to anesthesia, and excessive bleeding. This includes cosmetic surgeries as well, including common procedures like breast augmentation surgery. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recent reports have shown that there is a link between textured breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a serious blood cancer. Surgeons from the University of Southern California (USC) reported a new case involving a patient who developed gluteal implant-associated (GIA) ALCL after receiving bilateral textured silicone gluteal implants. This is the first case where the fatal cancer has been linked to buttock implants.
After investigating the reports involving patients who had developed ALCL after undergoing breast implants, they found that over 457 women in the United States had been diagnosed with breast implant-associated ALCL. Worldwide, there were over 600 cases of the blood cancer. To date, 16 women, including nine in the U.S., have died from the disease.
First Case of ALCL Linked to Gluteal Implants
According to USC surgeons, the latest case involved a middle-aged woman who received the bilateral textured silicone gluteal implants. One year after the surgery, she developed ulceration at the site of her gluteal implants and was eventually diagnosed with GIA-ALCL. An assistant professor of clinical surgery at the Keck School of Medicine at USC said that this is the first known case of ALCL that is associated with textured gluteal implants.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons shared that patients have other options besides textured implants, including smooth implants and fat grafting. Buttock implants are intended to enhance the size and shape of the patient’s buttocks. In 2017, there were over 36,000 buttock implant procedures performed worldwide, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
After surgeons discovered the link between textured breast implants and ALCL, the FDA alerted women about the risks associated with this procedure. Patients who are considering buttock implant surgery should also be warned about the risks that come with any surgery, but particularly the link between texture silicone gluteal implants and ALCL. Patients should also receive detailed instructions on how to properly maintain and care for the implants after surgery to avoid infection, or other complications. If a plastic surgeon fails to discuss these risks or does not identify or diagnose a potentially fatal condition after the surgery, a skilled and experienced medical malpractice lawyer can review the case and recommend the best legal course of action.
Baltimore Medical Malpractice Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Victims of Medical Negligence
If you were injured, or your health was compromised in any way because your healthcare professional did not warn you about complications associated with a plastic surgery procedure, contact the Baltimore medical malpractice lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. We are committed to protecting your rights and will work tirelessly to secure the maximum financial compensation you deserve. Our experienced and compassionate team will continue to fight for you until justice has been served. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent medical malpractice victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.
