It is not unusual for people in Texas to have plastic surgery, and one common form of plastic surgery is breast implants. Millions of women across the globe have breast implants, but this does not mean all implants are safe.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2010 at least 457 women in the United States have suffered a rare and deadly form of cancer that may be caused by breast implants. The cancer at issue is anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Of those who contracted it since 2010, nine lost their lives. The cancer affects cells located near the implants. It appears that more incidents of this cancer involved implants with textured surfaces, instead of those with smooth surfaces.
The FDA reports that women with breast implants had a greater chance of developing this form of cancer in comparison to women without breast implants. The FDA also issued a warning letter to health care providers informing them of the link between this rare cancer and breast implants. It is hoped that this will expedite diagnoses in women who have this form of cancer. This type of cancer is slow-growing, and if caught in its early stages can be treatable. The FDA has also requested that health care providers report incidents where women in their care with breast implants developed this disease.
It remains to be seen if any specific breast implants will be recalled due to these incidents of cancer. However, when a person is injured by a defective medical device it can change the trajectory of their life forever. Sometimes a person will contract a disease such as cancer due to a defective medical device, or the device could damage bone, tissue or organs in the area where it is located. This can lead to a worsened condition or even death. Therefore, those who have been harmed by a defective medical device may want to pursue defective medical device litigation, in order to be compensated for the damages they suffered.