Lymph Node, Silicone lymphadenopathy

Breast implants are used for reconstruction after surgery and for augmentation. Major types of implants contain either silicone or saline. One of the complications of breast implants is rupture with capsular rupture and silicone migration to regional lymph nodes and beyond.

Microscopically, silicone appears refractile but is not polarizable. Much of it becomes dissolved during tissue processing. Intracellular silicone appears as multiple small, clear spheres within histiocytes and extracellular silicone appears as clear spaces occupied by refractile material and surrounded by macrophages and giant cells. Giant cells may contain asteroid bodies.