A review of autoimmune disorders anecdotally linked to mammary implants.

Autoimmune disorders lead to a sequence of tissue reactions and damage that may produce diffuse, systemic signs and symptoms. Litigants in many breast implants trials have claimed their autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and SLE) were from a causal relationship with mammary implants. Science suggests environmental factors, such as vinyl chloride, and hereditary factors may account for some of the prevalence of these disorders, however the exact cause remains a mystery and brings into question the claims being brought by litigants regarding implants.