PIP implants: plastic surgeons accused of lying to avoid costs

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has taken a hard line against irresponsible plastic surgeons this week, accusing some of falsely telling patients they are not qualified to carry out corrective surgery so they can refer them to the NHS.

Whilst the Government has announced patients who received PIP implants on the NHS will be able to have them removed and replaced for free, only a handful of private clinics have agreed to offer the same.  The vast majority are either charging for further surgery or referring their patients to the NHS.

BAAPS President, Fazel Fatah, said: “One of the side effects from ruptured PIP implants is an inflammatory response in the tissues exposed to the silicone.”

He went on to say that the inflammation can cause lumps to appear in on the breasts and lymph nodes – located in the armpit – to also become swollen and painful.

Mr Fatah said: “Any qualified plastic surgeon can easily address these issues, make appropriate decisions and manage arrangements for investigation in an effective manner – it is part of standard training.”

Former BAAPS President, Nigel Mercer, added to the criticism, arguing he had seen a number of patients who had been told by their surgeon that they did not have the basic skills required to address the above issues.

He went on to say:  “Either these clinics’ practitioners aren’t qualified plastic surgeons as is generally claimed on their websites, which is clearly alarming, or they don’t want to bear the costs of caring for their own patients. Frankly, neither option should be acceptable to the women affected.”