What had happened so far?

There is a lot of confusing information about PiP breast implants.

Basically, the problem is that breast implants manufactured by the Poly Implant Prothèse (PiP) Company have been found to contain non medical grade silicone. In fact, rather than the approved type of gel, the implants reportedly contained silicone of a type more commonly used in mattresses.

The news has raised serious safety concerns.

The unauthorised implants were in use in the UK between 2001 and 2010, but this came to a halt when the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency released a medical device alert, warning that they should not be used.

The recent concerns are the result of an announcement by a French regulator late last year that all French women who have had a PiP breast implant should have it removed as a preventative measure, because of health concerns about high rates of ruptured implants and cancer.

The latest information from the NHS stresses that no cancer link has been found, and that the real issue is the high number of ruptured breast implants.

A rupture is a split in the outer casing of the implant, allowing the silicone to leak into the body

A series of government-led reviews are ongoing, but so far no review has recommended the early removal of the PiP breast implants.

Instead, the government has said that those who originally received their PiP implants on the NHS can have them removed on the NHS, while some private clinics have also offered to remove and replace the dangerous implants.

The position is changing all the time. Check out