Silicone lymphadenopathy and synovitis. Complications of silicone elastomer finger joint prostheses

We report two complications of silicone elastomer finger joint prostheses. In one patient, the prostheses broke, with silicone particles present in synovium ("detritic synovitis"). In another patient, silicone particles were found in an axillary lymph node five years after insertion of prostheses in the ipsilateral hand (prostheses were intact at the time). Microscopically, silicone particles in synovium and lymph node were identical to particles abraded from a new prosthesis. (JAMA237:1463-1464, 1977)