Halleland K J
Popham, Haik, Schnobrich & Kaufman, Ltd., Minneapolis.
Minn Med. 1992 Jul;75(7):31-3.
In cases where the failure to remove breast implants later results in injury, physicians may be exposed to liability if it can be shown that the woman would have removed the implants had she received more adequate or complete advice regarding the risks of keeping the implants in place. It is possible that courts may impose liability on physicians for failing to take affirmative steps to remove the implants under limited circumstances. In cases where adequate warnings are given, however, liability will rest only where causation can be shown. Proving causation is always fact-specific and will vary from case to case. In general, it must be established that the physician did not give complete advice and that if better advice had been given, the patient would have had the implants removed, preventing later injury. Physicians have at least three potential defenses to negligence actions regarding the failure to remove breast implants. First, the physician may maintain that he or she warned the patient and that the patient chose to ignore the advice. Second, the physician may rely upon available FDA and manufacturer recommendations that support the physician's advice regarding removal. Finally, the statute of limitations may bar a claim if more than two years have elapsed since the date of treatment.
如果后来未能取出乳房植入物导致了伤害，那么在能够证明如果该女性当时得到了关于保留植入物风险的更充分或完整的建议就会取出植入物的情况下，医生可能会面临责任。在有限的情况下，法院有可能因医生未能采取积极措施取出植入物而判定其承担责任。然而，在给出了充分警告的情况下，只有在能够证明因果关系时才会承担责任。证明因果关系总是取决于具体事实，并且因案而异。一般来说，必须确定医生没有给出完整的建议，并且如果给出了更好的建议，患者就会取出植入物，从而避免后来的伤害。对于因未能取出乳房植入物而提起的过失诉讼，医生至少有三种潜在的抗辩理由。第一，医生可能坚称他或她已经警告过患者，而患者选择忽视该建议。第二，医生可以依赖美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）和制造商现有的建议，这些建议支持医生关于取出植入物的建议。最后，如果自治疗之日起已经过去了两年多，诉讼时效可能会禁止索赔。
