Breast Implants

Part I of Essay
One of the first uses of silicone in a medical implant came in the form of lifesaving tubes implanted into young children to funnel excess fluid from the brain into the chest cavity, where the fluid could be safely metabolized and excreted. Since these "shunts" were first ....

Part II of Essay
.... done to ensure the utmost safety of a silicone recipient. By this time the millions of women throughout the world who already had Dow's silicone prosthesis implanted into their breasts had no idea of the dramatic health risks. Because of these potential health risks, women should avoid the use of breast implants. In 1976, Congress gave the FDA authority to regulate breast implants. By this time breast implants had been in use for a significant amount of time and were considered "grandfathered." This means that they ....