Breast implants are not considered lifetime devices. The longer people have them, the greater the chances are that they will develop complications, some of which will require more surgery.
Breast implants have been associated with the development of a cancer of the immune system called breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This cancer occurs more commonly in patients with textured breast implants than smooth implants, although rates are not well defined. Some patients have died from BIA-ALCL.
Patients receiving breast implants have reported a variety of systemic symptoms, such as joint pain, muscle aches, confusion, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, and others. Individual patient risk for developing these symptoms has not been well established. Some patients report complete resolution of symptoms when the implants are removed without replacement.
Natrelle® Breast Implants are approved for the following:
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Breast augmentation for women at least 22 years old for silicone-filled implants and for women at least 18 years old for saline-filled implants.
Breast augmentation includes primary breast augmentation to increase the breast size and revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast augmentation
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Breast reconstruction. This includes primary breast reconstruction to replace breast tissue that has been removed due to cancer or trauma or that has failed to develop properly due to a severe breast abnormality. This also includes revision surgery to correct or improve the result of a primary breast reconstruction
Breast implant surgery should NOT be performed in:
- Women with active infection anywhere in their body
- Women with existing cancer or precancer of their breast who have not received adequate treatment for those conditions
- Women who are currently pregnant or nursing
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions, as the risks of breast implant surgery may be higher:
- Autoimmune diseases (eg, lupus and scleroderma)
- A weakened immune system (eg, taking medications to decrease the body’s immune response)
- Planned chemotherapy or radiation therapy following breast implant placement
- Conditions or medications that interfere with wound healing and blood clotting
- Reduced blood supply to breast tissue
- Clinical diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders
- Those with a diagnosis of depression or other mental health disorders should wait for resolution or stabilization of these conditions prior to undergoing breast implantation surgery
- There is a Boxed Warning for breast implants. Please see bold text at beginning
- Many changes to your breasts following implantation are irreversible. If you later choose to have your implants removed and not replaced, you may experience dimpling, puckering, wrinkling, or other cosmetic changes, which may be permanent
- Breast implantation is likely not a one-time surgery. The longer implants are in place, the greater the potential risk for complications. You will likely need additional surgeries on your breasts due to complications or unacceptable cosmetic results. Thus, you should also consider the complication rates for later (revision) surgery since you may experience these risks in the future
- Cancer treatments and surgery will affect the outcome and timing of breast reconstruction
- Breast implants may affect your ability to breastfeed, either by reducing or eliminating milk production
- Rupture of a silicone-filled breast implant is most often silent. Even if you have no symptoms, you should have your first ultrasound or MRI at 5 to 6 years after your initial implant surgery and then every 2 to 3 years thereafter regardless of whether your implants are for augmentation or reconstruction. If you have symptoms of or uncertain ultrasound results for breast implant rupture, an MRI is recommended. Additional imaging may be required depending on your medical history and status. The health consequences of a ruptured silicone gel–filled breast implant have not been fully established
- Routine screening mammography for breast cancer will be more difficult, and implants may rupture during the procedure. Perform self-examination every month for cancer screening and ask your surgeon to help you distinguish the implant from your breast tissue. Lumps, persistent pain, swelling, hardening, or changes in implant shape should be reported to your surgeon and possibly evaluated with imaging
Key complications include reoperation, implant removal with or without replacement, implant rupture with silicone-filled implants, implant deflation with saline-filled implants, and capsular contracture (severe scar tissue around the implant). Other complications include breast pain, swelling, asymmetry, wrinkling/rippling, implant malposition nipple complications, hypertrophic scarring, and implant palpability/visibility.
Talk to your doctor about other complications.
To report a problem with Natrelle® Breast Implants, please call Allergan® at 1-800-624-4261.
The sale and distribution of Natrelle® Breast Implants is restricted to licensed physicians who provide information to patients about the risks and benefits of breast implant surgery.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:
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Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
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Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.
BOTOX®
Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.
There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, and/or forehead lines.
BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX® Cosmetic.
If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.
Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. They include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.
Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.
Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.
Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; have trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects.
Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.
Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.
Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include: dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of your eyelids and dry eyes.
For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.
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