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Letter
Breast implants and illness: a model of psychological illness
  1. M Ahern,
  2. M Smith,
  3. H Chua,
  4. P Youssef
  1. Department of Rheumatology, Repatriation General Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
  1. Correspondence to:
    Professor M Ahern, Department of Rheumatology, Repatriation General Hospital, Flinders University of South Australia, Daws Road, Daw Park, South Australia 5041, Australia;
    micharl.ahern{at}rgh.sa.gov.au

https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.61.7.659

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    We read with interest the hypothesis of Dush in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases1 and provide some evidence to support it. Dush suggested that many of the symptoms of women with silicone breast implants might be attributed to somatisation, stress, and mass somatisation. We recently reviewed 179 women with silicone breast implants who were involved in product liability and litigation.

    Their ages ranged from 29 to 74 years (mean (SD) 46.8 (8.1)). The indications for surgery were cosmetic in 146 (82%), followed by cancer in 17 (9%), fibrocystic disease in 12 (7%), and congenital hypoplasia in 4 (2%) women. The most common symptoms were burning breast pain in 142 (79%), chronic fatigue in 142 (79%), arthralgia in …

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