Allergan Textured Breast Implants Attorneys
about the Allergan BIOCELL® Textured Breast Implants Recall
Textured breast implants are selected by women because their rough surfaces allow for an interaction with body tissue and help them stay in place. The FDA’s recall of Allergan’s breast implants comes after 38 countries already recalled the company’s products. The initial concerns over the safety of Allergan textured breast implants began in March of 2017. The FDA resisted an initial recall because the administration stated that it needed to further study the issue. By the time of its July 2019 recall, the FDA confirmed that the Allergan BIOCELL® Textured Implants had a significant correlation with Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
The recalled implants include:
- Natrelle Saline-Filled breast implants
- Natrelle Silicone-Filled breast implants
- Natrelle Inspira Silicone-Filled breast implants
- Natrelle 410 Highly Cohesive Anatomically Shaped Silicone-Filled breast implants
The recall also includes tissue expanders used by patients before breast augmentation or reconstruction, including:
- Natrelle 133 Plus Tissue Expander
- Natrelle 133 Tissue Expander with Suture Tabs
What is BIA-ALCL (Breast Implant - Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma) and The Symptoms?
BIA-ALCL is not a type of breast cancer. It is a rare type of lymphoma, which is a cancer of the immune system. As a rare cancer, BIA-ALCL cancer and recipients of the Allergan implants have a high correlation. BIA-ALCL develops in tissue or capsules around the implant. Removing the implant and the scar tissue around it can cure the patient. However, if the disease is not caught early, cancer can spread and be fatal.
Women who have implants affected by the recall do not need to have them removed but should have regular follow-ups with their doctor and report any symptoms of BIA-ALCL, such as excessive fluid buildup around the breast implant causing pain, swelling, or lumps in the breast or armpit. Symptoms usually occur between three and 14 years after implant placement. Symptoms may include:
- Breast pain
- Swelling or lumps
- Asymmetry of the breast
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Painless swelling in the armpit, neck or groin
- Enlarged lymph nodes
What does the FDA suggest to those with Textured Implants?
Currently, the FDA does not recommend that those free of BIA-ALCL symptoms have their implants removed. Instead, the administration has urged those with textured implants to monitor and report any changes to their healthcare provider. Cancer from textured implants can take years to develop, so the FDA suggests close and regular monitoring for symptoms.
If you have been diagnosed with BIA-ALCL from Allergan BIOCELL® textured implants, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact us for a free consultation!
Get Your Free Case Evaluation!
Call now for a FREE consultation!