The health status of women following cosmetic surgery.

A retrospective study was performed to determine the frequency of new symptoms and diseases after silicone breast implantation. Questionnaires were mailed to 826 women who made up a breast implant group (n=516) and a control group who had undergone blepharoplasty (n=124), liposuction (n=111), or rhinoplasty (n=75). Responses were obtained from 370 women (45 percent); however, 68 of these patients (18 percent) were considered ineligible. The overall response rate was 59 percent for the breast implant group and 46 percent for controls. The 302 eligible women included patients with silicone breast implants (n=222) and controls (n=80)