Options for patients of Mr Karidis with PIP implants
Please find below an overview of the options available to patients of Mr Alex Karidis who have PIP implants. If you have any queries regarding the below and how this affects you please do not hesitate to contact one of the Karidis team on 020 7432 8727 / enquiries@karidis.co.uk
Please note we reserve the right to review and withdraw these options at any time.
Click here to view PDF of Table
We understand that you may have some questions regarding the options outlined in the table and have answered some of what we believe these may be below.
Why are patients, who have documented ruptures or want the implants removed altogether being offered these procedures at no cost, whilst other patients who want these replaced have to pay a percentage of the cost?
When developing the above options it was important that we prioritised the situations that have presented themselves to best serve our patients.
In the case of PIP implants, once a rupture has become evident then the only medical recourse that is available to that patient is an operation to remove the ruptured contents and replace the implants. There is no other objective accepted course of action in this situation. Therefore from a medical point of view these patients should be offered an operation as soon as possible and given priority.
I understand that there will also be patients who feel the need to have their implants removed and replaced despite reassurances by the Department of Health that this is not absolutely necessary. In these situations it should be made clear that (on current evidence) removal and exchange of implants would be a precautionary measure rather than because of a definite risk to health.
In these circumstances I will respect and support such decisions, provided the patient understands the associated risks involved with such a measure. If a patient voluntarily therefore chooses to have their implants replaced, depending on when the implants were fitted, I will support these patients by either waving or reducing my surgical fee.
Why is Mr. Karidis not waiving his fee for all routine replacements regardless of the date the implants were put in?
Every woman who has a breast augmentation procedure is advised and made aware that breast implants are not lifetime devices. All implants have a finite life and so the risk of rupture starts to increase from about 6 years after having them fitted. After 8 years, the rate of rupture can be 14% while at 10 years the risk of a rupture can rise up to 20%, at 12 years the risk of a rupture can be as high as 49%.
Taking the above statistics in to account it should be easier to understand that a patient who has had implants fitted for up to 8 years should reasonably expect less risk of rupture than those that have been in place for 9 years or more. It is in light of this reasoning that I have made the above options available to my patients.
How will Mr. Karidis prioritise and implement this program of implant exchange?
I stopped inserting PIP implants at the beginning of 2006, however as I’m sure many of you will understand, I have hundreds of patients that potentially will either need or take up the option of an operation. As many of you will know, I am the sole surgeon in my practice and can only operate and consult for so many hours. In order to accommodate patients as best I can, I will assign operating time on my normal theatre lists as well as set aside Saturday operating lists to deal with patients requiring PIP exchange operations.
We will operate on a strictly first come first serve basis.
Despite mine and my teams very best efforts, unfortunately I anticipate that the waiting times for such operations will quickly escalate as a result of my limited resources. There will also be times I will need to prioritise particular patients; in particular those have a documented rupture.
In light of this, we may occasionally need to reschedule appointments however we will do our upmost to keep this to a minimum. I would also like to mention that I have ongoing and upcoming patient commitments to whom I have a duty of care and attention who will also demand their respective proportion of my time.
I would like to thank you all in advance for your understanding and cooperation at this time.
Why is it that there is no offering for patients prior to 2002?
All patients who have breast implants understand that these are not lifetime devices. Although breast implants can rupture at any time, the incidence of a rupture starts to increase significantly after 10 years. Studies have shown that after 10 years there is at least a 17% chance of a rupture, and according to one study, can rise to 49% by 12 years.
This is because of degradation and weakening of the shell due to natural wear and tear. Even in the presence of an intact 10 year old implant on ultrasound the shell will be much weaker than a newer implant. Although some implants may last up to 15 years, given the right circumstances any implant therefore over 10 years may rupture at any time with the appropriate mechanical forces. Therefore all patients should start to consider implant replacement after 10 years.
With this eventuality in mind, it is not possible to incorporate any offer into patients over 10 years. Although no warranties were ever provided 10 years ago the fact is that even more recent warranty offers by implant manufacturers state that after 10 years, in the event of a rupture, they will only provide a patient with a pair of implants, with no costs given towards surgery.
Are there any conditions to the above options that I should be aware of?
As I’m sure you will understand there are some conditions to the above options which I have outlined below. These are as follows:
- The offer only applies for an exchange of a similar size implant. Any increase or decrease requires further surgery and so further charges will be applied.
- If a patient requires any form of skin adjustment or uplift because of ageing, pregnancy or breastfeeding then further charges will apply depending on what is required.
- All surgery is warranted for 3 years to cover any revision, scar correction or capsule correction. Please note only one readmission for correction of capsular contracture is included in the aftercare. Outside fees will apply.
- Should you wish an additional length of stay in hospital over the time allocated there will be an additional charge directly to the individual patient.
- The above offers only apply to surgery undertaken by Mr. Karidis. No reimbursements, acknowledgements or liabilities will be accepted for surgeries performed elsewhere.
Patient satisfaction and happiness is of upmost importance to my team and I. I hope the above offering indicates how I am trying to do the very best I can in this situation.
Please do contact a member of the team if you have any questions 020 7432 8727 / enquiries@karidis.co.uk