At least 100 people in Korea have reportedly joined a lawsuit against medical device company Allergan regarding the company’s Biocell textured breast implants.

Korea Biocell Textured Breast Implants Lawsuit

The lawsuit against Allergan is reportedly expected to be filed in September 2019 by at least 100 plaintiffs in Korea and is still open for plaintiffs to join the suit. Allergan is a leading breast implant manufacturer. However, many people who have received textured breast implants made by the company claim that these implants have led them to develop major health conditions, including a rare type of cancer.

According to the Korea Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, at least one Korean woman has been diagnosed with breast implant related cancer. The class of victims covered by the suit are seeking financial compensation for medical expenses, in some cases including the costs associated with the removal of these implants, as well as damages for the psychological effects caused by receiving defective implants.

BIA-ALCL and Side Effects of Textured Breast Implants

Breast implants are chosen by people for a variety of reasons, including cosmetic augmentation as well as reconstruction after mastectomies as part of breast cancer treatments. While breast implants may be smooth or textured, many women choose to receive textured implants due to the belief that the rough surface of these implants makes it less likely for them to migrate or move from their desired location.

However, breast implants, specifically textured breast implants, have been linked to a form of cancer known as breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). Allergan voluntarily recalled their textured breast implants in the U.S. in July 2019 after evidence surfaced that these implants were linked to an additional high risk of developing BIA-ALCL.

Although BIA-ALCL is not breast cancer, it does develop in the breasts. According to the Food and Drug Administration, BIA-ALCL is a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the immune system. In women with textured breast implants, this cancer generally develops in the scar tissue and fluid capsule that forms around the implants to keep them in place in the chest.

In many cases of BIA-ALCL, removing the implants as well as the scar tissue and fluid capsule is enough to remove the cancer. However, in cases where the condition has progressed, victims may also require additional cancer treatments.

According to Breastcancer.org, despite the risks associated with textured breast implants, surgeons in Korea and the U.S. do not recommend that patients have their implants removed unless they have symptoms of BIA-ALCL. Side effects of breast implant removal surgery may be severe enough that these implants should not be removed unless it is necessary.

Korean victims who have received textured Allergan breast implants may be eligible to join the pending lawsuit. Other victims who have received these implants and suffered from BIA-ALCL may be able to hire a qualified attorney and file their own lawsuits against the medical device manufacturer.  Women around the world have filed reports of complications. Victims may be able to collect damages for injuries, medical expenses, physical pain, and emotional suffering.

Learn More

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.