Thinking About Implants?

I finally had my implant repaired this week. Mentor contributed just enough to cover the cost of capsular repair and replacement of the implant. I didn't receive enough to cover the cost of scar revision. I laughed when the head of their legal department said Mentor's utmost concern was that I would be a satisfied customer. I guess if that were true they would have made sure to repair the ruptured implant at least within the first month; I was nearing 4 months since the rupture by the time they took care of it. Because of this I had to undergo more extensive surgery which included scooping out more tissue and removal of scar tissue that had formed over the ruptured implant.

2 ruptures in 6 years. Is it worth the trouble and duress? We'll see what happens next.

I'll be posting a copy of the agreement they wanted me to sign, which basically stated I would never hold them responsible or liable for any problems of any kind.

Mentorcorp Covers Up High Rupture Rate and Flea Infestation

A 2005 NY Times article written by Gardiner Harris details the accounts of 2 former Mentorcorp employees, who were told to destroy documents revealing high rupture rates and poor quality of some types of Mentor implants. Is this the company you would choose? Investigate the history of the company that manufactures your implants. If they haven't proven to display integrity in their practices maybe you don't want their product in your body.

"One employee, John C. Karjanis, who from 1996 until 1998 was manager of
product evaluation for the company, the Mentor Corporation, said some top
executives instructed him to destroy reports detailing the high rupture rates
and poor quality of some types of implants because the products "are in the
customers." He also said the implants were sometimes contaminated with fleas."

"Mentor employees said under oath that their company significantly underreported implant problems," Dr. Zuckerman said. "Mentor's new statistics also seem questionable. Are Mentor implants so much better than their competitors' in terms of rupture rates, or are they providing misleading or false information?"

Mentor/Johnson and Johnson's Enhanced Advantage Warranty

If you think paying extra for Mentor's Enhanced Advantage Warranty will bring you peace of mind, think again. While Mentor's warranty covers the cost of implant replacement and a nominal fee for surgery, their customers are left high and dry (pardon the pun) with regard to fees they might incur for other complications they may incur, like a capsulotomy. What's a "capsulotomy"? I'm glad you asked. Capsular contracture is scar tissue that forms around a foreign object placed in the body. The warranty is also not guaranteed to cover any type of scar revision or other complications that could possibly arise.

I've visited 2 surgeons so far, one told me the price for replacement, scar revision, hospital and anesthesia would be $11,900. The other doc said it would be $5,300 plus hospital and anesthesia, which roughly amounts to another 2 grand, so roughly $7,300 total, almost five thousand less than the initial surgeon was going to charge me. Is it worth it?

Mentor Hides Defects

This was taken from a May 2005 article written by Shelley Whitcher, entitled, "Mentor Corporation Hid Breast Implant Defects, Including Flea Contamination".

A major manufacturer of breast implants, Mentor Corporation, hid information of defective implants from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and consumers, say two former employees. According to a recent New York Times article ("Implant Maker Hid Defects, Workers Said" by Gardiner Harris, May 22, 2005), Mentor purposely withheld important information about its safety record and distributed contaminated products.

The depositions of two former Mentor employees were taken during a lawsuit brought by Kim Hoffman, who claimed that her Mentor implants had made her sick. Although the suit was eventually dismissed, Hoffman provided the depositions to The New York Times last week.
John C. Karjanis, the former product evaluation manager for Mentor, stated under oath that "top executives instructed him to destroy reports detailing the high rupture rates and poor quality of some types of implants because the products 'are in the customers.'" Karjanis also stated that one Mentor manufacturing executive attempted to obtain approval of defective products through fraudulent documents. When confronted by Karjanis, the executive admitted to trying to get one past him.

Moreover, Karjanis stated that Mentor "suppressed a report finding that some implant models had a high failure rate," and that factory workers also hid defective products in the ceiling tiles in an effort to conceal how often the plant failed to make the products properly.During the two years that Karjanis served as the product evaluation manager, Mentor "never met basic quality standards for implant manufacturing."

This is a link to the NY Times piece: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/22/national/22implant.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Johnson and Johnson's Product Proves to be a Nightmare

Trusted and well known Johnson and Johnson has a nightmare on their hands with recently acquired Mentor Implants. This is the second time my implants have leaked and little has been done to accomodate my dilemna. Further investigation has uncovered that Mentor covered up and lied about the actual number of ruptures occurring in their implants, more to follow...

Johnson and Johnson Breast Implant Horror

It's been over a month and this is what I look like, my breast still remains deflated because Johnson and Johnson chooses not to stand behind their product-Mentor Breast Implants. Make sure you ask your doctor what type of implants they carry, if the answer is Mentor/Johnson and Johnson, then run the other way!

Think Twice Before Choosing Mentor

The following are transcripts from an email exchange with Mentor. I was told to email my concerns and that I would receive a response. Is this the kind of response you would want if one of your implants suddenly became deflated?

My initial email:
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 22:12:39
To: Subject: Breast Implant Concerns
Hello,
I have had Mentor Implants for the last six years. Roughly two years after the initial procedure one of them deflated/ruptured. At that time I was referred to a doctor Stephen Bennett in Salt Lake who told me "you have to get both done, we don't replace just one".This last Sunday I called Dr Bennett's office again because I noticed one breast was significantly smaller. They said they'd get back to me with a referral, two days later I got a call saying Dr Bennett "wasn't familiar with anyone here on the East Coast and therefore couldn't give me a referral but make sure you find someone who is board certified".
These are my concerns: 1. If it wasn't necessary to do both implants why was I not given the option? 2. Is this what I can expect every 2 years-rupture or deflation of the Mentor implant and surgery? 3. I have significant scar tissue now that I've had 2 procedures, what can I expect with yet a third? 4. Who is going to give me a referral? Please contact me immediately regarding these issues. I am an active blogger and want these matters resolved as soon as possible. I am extremely upset by the prospect of having to undergo yet another surgery.
Signed,
XXXXXXX

Mentor's response:

Thank you for your inquiry. Mentor is unable to respond to your questions, "If it wasn't necessary to do both implants why was I not given the option?", "Is this what I can expect every 2 years-rupture or deflation of the Mentor implant and surgery?" and "I have significant scar tissue now that I've had 2 procedures, what can I expect with yet a third?", as your plastic surgeon remains the best resource for information. To view frequently asked questions about breast augmentation and breast implants, please follow the link to our website: http://loveyourlook.com/Breast-Augmentation/FAQ-breast-implants.aspx To locate a plastic surgeon in your area familiar with Mentor product, please follow the link to our website: http://loveyourlook.com/Find-Surgeons/ To view the full Mentor Product Replacement Policy and the Mentor Advantage limited warranty programs, please follow the link: http://loveyourlook.com/Breast-Augmentation/FAQ-breast-implants.aspx Are you experiencing complications? After you have chosen a plastic surgeon, please forward your plastic surgeon's name and number and we will call to secure a report to document your experience. Thank you for your time. Mentor Corporation

Mentor Implant Saga

I woke up last Sunday and realized my left breast was considerably smaller than the other. Great, I thought to myself, I've been down this road before. In February of 2002 my Valentine present to myself was a breast augmentation. I'd nursed three children in a span of 4 years, enough said. It all changed in 2002 after my surgery; I was elated with the results. Two years later I was startled to see my reflection in the mirror after coming in from an evening jog before jumping into the shower. My breasts were noticeably lopsided, my left breast seemed to have ruptured.

I quickly called Mentor Corp since I'd puchased the Mentor Enhanced Advantage Warranty. I found the process to getting the help I needed quick and painless. In short order I had an appointment with a surgeon in Salt Lake and everything was back to "normal" for the most part. The doctor told me I would have to get both sides done. Ok, no problem, if this is the protocol, I'll do it. Mentor paid for everything except the trip to Salt Lake. I was relieved to have the ordeal over and done, but I was extremely unhappy with the thick unattractive scar tissue I'd incurred after a second surgery.

After last Sunday's wake up call I contacted Mentor, expecting the same seamless process. Mentor told me to get a hold of the surgeon who'd performed the initial procedure to obtain a referral. I called Dr. Bennett's office in Salt Lake and a few days later his office told me he wasn't familiar with any surgeons on the East coast and therefore was unable to provide me with a referral. Their only words of wisdom to me were: "make sure the surgeon is board certified." No kidding!

I called Mentor today and was surprised to get a "live" person on the line. She apologized for my inconvenience and gave me an email address and the phone number for Mentor's Consumer Affairs Department. I thought I was well on my way to getting things taken care of, just like the last time, but I was wrong. What I did receive was the opportunity to leave a message. I quickly sent off my email detailing my dilemna and concerns which is the topic of my next blog post. In return I received a canned response to my email. Read on, and proceed with caution before choosing Mentor.

Mentor boasts: "Our relationship with you doesn’t end with your surgery. We make a long-term commitment to our patients and integrity of our products". I beg to differ. I have left messages and emails and it takes days, sometimes weeks to hear any response. I also was challenged to produce proof of the Enhanced Advantage Warranty I purchased. Misty in Consumer Affairs said her records showed I only had the Standard Advantage. I faxed her the copy of the letter I received from Mentor proving I indeed have the Enhanced Advantage on April 13th. I called April 21st because I hadn't received a response from Misty. Still to date-no response.