This week, PIP breast implants hit the headlines as the Paris appeals court ruled that that the German firm TUV Rheinland was negligent in awarding safety certificates for faulty PIP implants, paving the way for compensation for 2,700 women, including 540 Britons, who said they had suffered long-term physical and mental problems from the implants.

Firstly, what are PIP Implants and why is it in the news?

PIP breast implants are a type of silicone breast implant that were used in breast augmentation cosmetic surgery in the noughties.

PIP breast implants were manufactured between 2001 and 2010 by the French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP). The company was liquidated in 2010 and its founder was later given a prison sentence after it emerged that the implants were filled with cheap industrial-grade silicone that was not authorised for human use.

 How many people are affected by these illegal breast implants?

Up to 400,000 women worldwide have received PIP implants. While the area’s most heavily affected are in Latin America, there are expected to be around 47,000 victims in the UK.

Many people who had breast augmentation surgery (both cosmetically, and for medical reasons) between 2001 and 2010 are affected.

Are PIP implants dangerous?

There is no evidence that the implants are toxic or life threatening, but they do have a much higher chance of rupturing which can lead to pain and discomfort. For many women, even if the implants are currently intact, the worry that they may at some point become ruptured will of course be causing a great deal of distress.

Many still have their breast implants in place because they do not have the money to get them replaced, and PIP breast implant compensation is now being sought to obtain the necessary funds for the implants to be changed to a safe alternative.

Will PIP Implants be removed by the NHS?

Some private clinics may be prepared to change PIP implants free of charge, but not all of them are willing or able to do so. While the NHS may remove PIP implants for you, they will not replace them (except where the surgery was done for medical reasons by the NHS, such as Reconstructive Surgery) This means that you will be left without any implants at all if you opt for this.

I have PIP implants and I am worried – what should I do?

If you think that you have PIP Implants, please contact Chris Davies, our specialist Medical Negligence solicitor at TEN Legal (cd@tenlegal.co.uk) who will advise you of your options and whether we can handle your case on a No Win No Fee basis.

Chris has handled a number of high profile Medical Negligence cases, including cases of missed and late cancer diagnosis, delayed treatment, poor aftercare following elective surgery and a number of Cosmetic Surgery Compensation claims.