Robert Whitfield MD reports that nearly 30% of breast implants tested positive for bacteria in a study of 700 samples. He explains how bacteria can hide on the implant shell and interact with tissue if the capsule isn't fully sealed, using an Easter egg analogy to describe the mechanism.
Questions this video answers
Almost 700 samples; 29% had bacteria.
Quantitative PCR analysis.
He references having done 'several thousand' cases (audits of his series).
And so in our series, we know about, specifically in this series, of almost 700 samples, 29% had bacteria.
But at any given time, when you.
Looked at an audit of my series, because I've done so many, several thousand.
Now, it'll be close to a third, a third of the time we're going to find a bacterial contaminant using quantitative PCR analysis.
So think of it. I always use this analogy of an Easter egg.
So an Easter egg at the time.
Of Easter, you have this plastic, put the candy inside. So we'll say the candy is the implant, and the wrapper on the candy could be bacteria. So it can touch the inside of that shell. But if the shell is not completely sealed, meaning your scar capsule or has a leak, or if it's just not woven very tightly because you didn't lay enough thick scar tissue down, that can interact with the breast tissue.
What's important is in our series, there's two Domina species of bacteria, and one is called Cutibacterium acnes. Yes, acne. And two is Staph epidermidis, which is found on the skin. Now, another paper published this year shows that the interaction between those bacteria, specifically bacteria like Staph epidermidis, which produce biofilm, and C bacterium, which does produce, readily produce biofilm, those bacteria in their communities of bacteria, the biofilm will interact with the breast tissue and specifically an oleic fatty acid in the breast tissue. Once this happens, it produces oxylipin. Now, this can go on to affect your immune system, and basically the stimulation of the immune system can lead to more symptoms. This is the largest study published in the world to date to show the incidence of bacterial biofilm of those patients who present with breast implant illness. So that's done and dusted.
