Objectives: To describe the demographic distribution of patients who had foreign body injections to the breast who were seen by the Division of Plastic Surgery in the past 5 years. To determine the number of cases of patients with foreign body injection to the breast seen by the Division of Plastic Surgery from January 2004- August 2009. To determine the demographic distribution of patients who have had foreign body injections to the breast with regard to age, occupation, and socioeconomic status. To describe the clinical profile of cases. To review the present management procedures for the treatment of foreign body injections to the breast. Methods: This is a retrospective study on patients seen by the Division of Plastic Surgery of the Philippine General Hospital from January 2004 to August 2009 who were seen for complications from foreign body injections to the breast. Cases were identified by querying the electronic patient registry of the Department of Surgery (ISIS). A review of the records was done. The following information was clinical presentation and treatment done in these patients. Results: Thirty six female patients both private and charity were seen by the Division of Plastic Surgery of the Philippine General Hospital from January 2004 to August 2009. The incidence of foreign body injections to the breast was most common in young females 25-35, who were entertainers (72.2%). Forty four breasts presented with changes that were classified under Type II of the Ueno classification (firm induration with or without pain) seen between 6-15 years from the time of injection (58.3%). Majority of the patients (27 patients, 74%) did not know the volume injected. Only 25% of the women had knowledge of the volume injected, 6 patients (16.7%) received injections ranging from 160-300cc, 2 patients (5.6%) received more than 300cc. Twenty four patients were seen and treated as private cases and 12 patients were seen and treated as charity cases. Seventy two breasts were treated mostly with subcutaneous mastectomy with implant or flap reconstruction. Conclusion: Based on the data gathered, most susceptible were young women with occupations wherein an attractive physical appearance would give them an edge or an advantage in their particular career. This is regardless of financial capability. With this, it is important to have a concerned, cooperative effort to stop the practice through public education that can be directed at this population. This will also be a jumpstart point to make large volume foreign body injections to the breast illegal and less accessible in the Philippines. Knowledge of the clinical profile may guide other surgeons to early detection and appropriate treatment. Key words: siliconoma, subcutaneous mastectomy
Human ; Female ; MASTECTOMY, SUBCUTANEOUS ; SURGERY, PLASTIC