Mr. Mas is an unsavory character, who for twelve years, manufactured breast implants in France and sent his product around the world. The name of his company was Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), and his implant's brand name is PIPS.
Purposely ordering his staff to hide unauthorized silicone, for over a decade he managed to keep European safety inspectors from finding out that industrialize grade silicone, normally used to manufacture mattresses, was used instead of medical-grade silicone fillers, in the making of PIP implants. ABC News, today, in its report describes the silicone in PIP implants as, "a cheap, industrial-grade silicone not fit for human use."
As if that weren't enough, it appears that PIP implants are more prone to breakage than other brands.
PIP was the world's third largest manufacturer of breast implants. Up to 400,000 women in sixty-five countries may have been recipients. In 2010, after Mr. Mas' criminal activities were discovered, the French government banned the implants, closed the manufacturing facility, and recommended that French women with the implants have them removed, courtesy of the French government. At the time of writing, 2,700 French women are suing Mr. Mas.
Germany, the Czech Republic and Venezuela have advised women to have their PIP implants removed. England and Australia are still weighing up the evidence. However, Great Britain's National Health Service is willing to remove the implants of concerned women.
Dr. Miguel Delgado, a San Francisco Bay Area board certified Plastic Surgeon, stressed that it's important for women to know the characteristics of their implants. Specifically they need to know the brand, size, and whether the implant is silicone or saline.
Apparently the United States imported only saline implants from PIP. Moreover, the US banned PIPS entirely when the FDA sent an inspector to the French plant, and found multiple violations of accepted manufacturing practices.
Dr. Michael Kreidstein, a Royal College certified plastic surgeon, practicing in Toronto, Canada, writes: "Canadians are fortunate in that PIP implants were not sold in Canada, as they have been found to be flawed."
BBC News reported that Mr. Mas shows no remorse, is arrogant, and doesn't believe the silicone he used in the manufacturing process is dangerous. Furthermore, it is reported that he believes the French women have no grounds for their suit, and they are motivated solely by greed.
What's the bottom line? A lot of women around the world have been duped by Mr. Mas, and he doesn't care. If you have breast implants and don't know the brand name, find out.
Sources
BBC - PIP breast implant boss Jean-Claude Mas arrested in France
Breast Implants: Latest from NHS
ABC News - Maker of Faulty Breast Implants Arrested on Manslaughter Charges
Plastic Surgeon Dr. Miguel Delgado Reviews PIP Breast Implant Scare from San Francisco Patients
Plastic Surgery Info.ca - How do you obtain the best results from breast implant Surgery?
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