Open Access21-year-old silicone breast implants causing recurrent pneumonia, chest pain and coughing
Author(s) -
Nina Järvelä Johansen,
Ole Hilberg,
Anders Løkke
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
respiratory medicine case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2213-0071
DOI - 10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101025
Subject(s) - medicine , pneumonia , chest pain , lung , bronchoscopy , silicone , radiology , surgery , inhalation , implant , lung infection , anesthesia , chemistry , organic chemistry
A 50-year-old former smoker presented with recurrent pneumonia, fever and atypical chest pain on and off for a year and was treated with antibiotics several times. Meanwhile, her lung function deteriorated with an obstructive pattern and therefore she was treated with inhalation medication without effect. Tests of the heart, bronchoscopy, gastroscopy and a CT-scan of the lungs did not reveal the cause. Finally, an FDG-PET scan showed inflammation of the tissue on the backside of a 21-year-old silicone chest implant, which was intact but encapsulated. The chest implants were removed after which the patient has remained free of infections. However, the lung function impairment did not improve, and a new HRCT-scan demonstrated widespread emphysema.