Chronic Pulmonary Silicone Embolism Syndrome Following Saline Breast Implants

Abstract

Chronic pulmonary silicone embolism syndrome (CPSE) presents as progressive dyspnea occurring after silicone prosthesis implantation. Diagnostic criteria for CPSE include imaging findings of intraparenchymal ground-glass opacities and histologic evidence of silicone microdroplets. CPSE is a very rare entity but has been reported previously secondary to ruptured silicone filled breast implants. Due to safety concerns, many plastic surgeons and patients consider saline-filled breast implants to be a sound alternative. Here, we report a middle-aged woman with biopsy-proven CPSE secondary to saline breast implants, nearly a decade after prosthesis removal.