Canada may soon get a breast implant registry. Why experts, patients say it’s crucial

The debate over a national breast implant registry in Canada continues to bustle on, leaving many wondering if this could be the solution for improved patient safety.

Judith Coates, a cancer survivor from Orillia, Ont., had her breast implant for six months before feelings of chest pain, blurry vision and breathing difficulty started to take hold of her health. She even started dropping things as she said she had numbness in her hands.

In 2015, Coates had a textured silicone implant after undergoing a mastectomy on her right breast. After years of pain, she decided to remove the implant in 2018, believing the silicone was making her sick.

She was right.

“I woke up from the operating table and I immediately felt like that elephant was gone from my chest,” she said. “I could take a deep breath and gradually (most of) the other symptoms went away as well.”

After the removal, she had her implant tested and got a report back that stated the silicone was leaking out of it.

“The silicone did not stay in the implant … I know it was the silicone affecting my body that was giving me all those symptoms,” she said.

Coates believes more regulation is needed when it comes to breast implants. Not only should women be made aware of the danger involved, but setting up a database would help track patients when an implant recall is issued.

She is happy that Canada is starting to take a step forward toward the latter.