Artificial medical devices that are implanted into the body for long periods of time may increase a woman's chance of developing a rare disorder known as undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD).
UCTD is a condition that causes pain and swelling in joints and often leads to severe cold sensitivity.
Women with silicone-containing implants were nearly three times more likely than women without such devices to have a diagnosis of UCTD.
Similarly, women with non-silicone implanted medical devices were five times more likely to have the disorder.
American Journal of Epidemiology October 2001;154:610-617
Fairly strong evidence published in a major peer reviewed journal that silicone implants are indeed linked to connective tissue disorders. For more information on this issue please read Ilena Rosenthal's excellent review of this topic below.
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