Polyarteritis Nodosa Presenting as Digital Gangrene and Breast Lesion following Exposure to Silicone Breast Implants.
Case Rep Rheumatol 2015;
2015:765170. [PMID:
26844000 PMCID:
PMC4710902 DOI:
10.1155/2015/765170]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare systemic necrotizing vasculitis of small and medium sized arteries. We report a case of a 49-year old woman who presented with PAN following exposure to silicone breast implants. Although the relationship between silicone implants and connective tissue diseases has been investigated in the literature, no prior reports were found documenting PAN after silicone mammoplasty. While the pathogenesis of idiopathic PAN is not known yet, responsiveness to immunosuppressive therapy may suggest an immunologic mechanism. More robust research is needed to understand the connection between silicone breast implants and autoimmunity.
Collapse