11 ms·

> microchips bond with your tissue Eh, not really. They stimulate a foreign body reaction from macrophages, creating a synovium-like cyst around the object. >

> microchips bond with your tissue Eh, not really. They stimulate a foreign body reaction from macrophages, creating a synovium-like cyst around the object. > The implications for removal should be obvious You'll end up a granuloma (collection of macrophages), which may calcify or slowly resolve down to collagenous scar tissue. So, I wouldn't lead with the biology, at least not when pitching your concerns to scientists. The privacy implications are pretty horrific though.

meesterdude 10y ago
I just read a NYT article that some breast implants were linked to causing cancer. So, while I appreciate your analysis of what the expected biological response is, there is still room for things to go wrong too, in ways we never foresaw - or simply neglected. But yes, the privacy and precedent implications of this will far outweigh the medical ones.
- killjoywashere 10y ago
  The cancer you're talking about, Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), generally resolves with removal of the implants, though it's a new entity, so we're certainly still learning about it. The odds that breast implants are unique in causing this peculiar biological response seems low, from a basic science perspective. I thought about mentioning it in my original comment, but it's so rare that it seemed somewhat sensationalist to even bring it up.
  - meesterdude 10y ago
    > The odds that breast implants are unique in causing this peculiar biological response seems low, from a basic science perspective. which is why i mentioned it! > but it's so rare that it seemed somewhat sensationalist to even bring it up. fair enough. although there can be a sensationalist reaction to the news as well. I believe only 9 cases were found? I find it's worthwhile for my own expectations of reality, to respect that nothing is a sure thing, and that much comes with a big asterisk next to it.

meesterdude 10y ago

I just read a NYT article that some breast implants were linked to causing cancer. So, while I appreciate your analysis of what the expected biological response is, there is still room for things to go wrong too, in ways we never foresaw - or simply neglected. But yes, the privacy and precedent implications of this will far outweigh the medical ones.

killjoywashere 10y ago
The cancer you're talking about, Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), generally resolves with removal of the implants, though it's a new entity, so we're certainly still learning about it. The odds that breast implants are unique in causing this peculiar biological response seems low, from a basic science perspective. I thought about mentioning it in my original comment, but it's so rare that it seemed somewhat sensationalist to even bring it up.
- meesterdude 10y ago
  > The odds that breast implants are unique in causing this peculiar biological response seems low, from a basic science perspective. which is why i mentioned it! > but it's so rare that it seemed somewhat sensationalist to even bring it up. fair enough. although there can be a sensationalist reaction to the news as well. I believe only 9 cases were found? I find it's worthwhile for my own expectations of reality, to respect that nothing is a sure thing, and that much comes with a big asterisk next to it.