Lawyers2you are assisting clients who have been fitted with faulty breast implants made by Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP) and urge women to seek medical advice.
This faulty type of silicone gel filled implant, which were manufactured in France, has caused a health scare in Europe and South America due to a high risk of rupturing in the body.
Breast implants made using PIP have been used in more than 50,000 British patients including up to 3,000 NHS patients who had reconstructive surgery following the removal of breast tumours.
The French product was banned in 2010 when it emerged that industrial grade silicone was being used. Implants should be made from medical grade material, which has passed safety tests for use in a human body.
It has been highlighted that the anxiety about the implants was itself a health concern and women should be able to have them removed if they wanted to. The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), has stated, "Given the fact there is a degree of uncertainty and a lack of knowledge, we're recommending all implants come out."
The French government has offered to foot the bill for the 30,000 French women affected to have their implants removed. In the UK, the NHS will remove and replace the implants from women operated on by the health service. The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, said private clinics had a moral obligation to do the same.
The NHS will pay to remove, but not replace, implants fitted privately if the clinics refuse the patient or have gone out of business. If your clinic refuses to remove and replace the implant/s, or no longer exists, then it may be possible to seek compensation from their insurers at the time the surgery took place.
Not sure if you have a PIP implant?
Find out if you have PIP implants if you do not already know. You can do this by requesting information from the clinic or surgeon which did the surgery. We can help you with this process and apply for your medical records.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has also recommended that all women who have undergone breast implant surgery using PIP implants have an ultrasound scan to determine if there is any implant rupture or irregularities in the silicone.
If you think you have received a PIP implant you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
What to do if you think you’re affected?
If you or someone you know have been a victim of PIP implants and would like to speak to our expert medical negligence lawyers, contact us for free no obligation, initial advice on 0800 157 7100, email info@lawyers2you.co.uk or visit one of our convenient legal stands, which can be found in local shopping centres across the UK.
-Ends-
Notes for Editors:
For further information about Lawyers2you, please contact:
Rachael Palmer
Head of Business Development & Marketing
40 Great Charles Street
Birmingham
B3 2AT
Lawyers2you is a trading name of Blakemores Solicitors, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, reference number 47251.
Issued on behalf of:
Lawyers2you
40 Great Charles Street
Birmingham
B3 2AT
For further information contact Laura Bayliss, Online Marketing Executive on 0844 873 5302 or Laura.bayliss@blakemores.co.uk
