Core Gel Study of the Safety and Effectiveness of Mentor Round Low Bleed Silicone Gel-filled Mammary Prostheses

Silicone gel-filled breast implants were introduced in the early sixties and were in wide-scale distribution by the time the Medical Device Amendments to the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act was passed in 1976. In 1983, gel-filled breast implants were designated as Class III devices requiring premarket approval. In May 1990, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a proposed request (515(b)) for Premarket Approval Applications (PMA) and in April 1991 published the final request. This final publication put manufacturers of gel-filled breast implants on notice that for continued marketing of gel-filled breast implants, a PMA was due to FDA in 90 days from the final publication date.

A premarket approval (PMA) for the Mentor gel-filled breast implants was filed with the FDA in July 1991. At the FDA General and Plastic Surgery Advisory Committee meeting in November 1991, the committee recommended the submission of additional information to establish the safety and effectiveness of gel-filled breast implants.

In January 1992, the FDA Commissioner announced a voluntary moratorium of the sale of gel-filled breast implants to allow the advisory panel time to assess additional information. In April 1992, the moratorium was lifted but only for reconstruction and revision patients. Every patient implanted had to be part of an adjunct study, and had to be offered participation in a registry of gel-filled breast implant patients. In order to be implanted with gel-filled implants for augmentation, women had to be enrolled in a core clinical study.

The objective of this study is to determine the safety and effectiveness of the smooth and textured surface Mentor Round Low-Bleed Silicone Gel-filled Mammary Prostheses in women who are undergoing primary breast augmentation, primary breast reconstruction or revision.

Inclusion criteria

• Subject is Genetic female and at least 18 years old
• A candidate for:
• Primary breast augmentation (for post-lactational mammary involution or general breast enlargement)
• Primary breast reconstruction (for cancer, trauma, surgical loss of breast or congenital deformity)
• Revision surgery (previous augmentation or reconstruction with silicone-filled or saline-filled implants)
• Signs the Informed Consent
• Agrees to follow the procedures for explant analysis
• Agrees to comply with follow-up procedures, including returning for all follow-up visits

Exclusion criteria

• Patient is pregnant
• Has nursed a child within three months of study enrollment
• Been implanted with any silicone implant other than breast implants (e.g. silicone artificial joints or facial implants)
• Confirmed diagnosis of the following rheumatic diseases or syndromes: SLE, Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma, polymyositis, or any connective tissue disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, crystalline arthritis, infections arthritis, spondylarthropathies, any other inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue syndrome
• Currently has a condition that could compromise or complicate wound healing (except reconstruction patients)
• Patient in Augmentation cohort and has diagnosis of active cancer of any type
• Infection or abscess anywhere in the body
• Demonstrates tissue characteristics which are clinically incompatible with implant (e.g. tissue damage resulting from radiation, inadequate tissue, or compromised vascularity)
• Possesses any condition, or is under treatment for any condition which, in the opinion of the investigator and/or consulting physicians(s), may constitute an unwarranted surgical risk
• Anatomic or physiologic abnormality which could lead to significant postoperative adverse events
• Demonstrates characteristics that are unrealistic/unreasonable with the risks involved with the surgical procedure
• Premalignant breast disease without a subcutaneous mastectomy
• Untreated or inappropriately treated breast malignancy, without mastectomy
• Implanted metal or metal devices, history of claustrophobia or other condition that would make a MRI scan prohibitive