US Food and Drug Administration approval of silicone gel implants for cosmetic purposes in 2006 was expected to increase their use sharply; however, saline-filled implants have maintained their status as the most popular choice for primary breast augmentation, according to a recent report.

The study, published in the March/April issue of Aesthetic Surgery Journal, indicated that, among Aesthetic Society members, saline implants are used more frequently than silicone gel implants. To be more specific, 60% of responding surgeons said they were still using saline implants. Furthermore, the vast majority of these physicians selected saline implants for 75% to 100% of their patients undergoing first-time breast augmentation.

Nevertheless, both saline and silicone gel implants are used frequently, safely and reliably, the report notes.

Eighty percent of plastic surgeons who participated in the survey said they had increased their use of silicone gel implants since their reintroduction in 2006. Patient preference was the most common factor driving the choice of silicone gel implants.

The 27 questions included in the survey were posed to 1746 members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) over a 3-month period, beginning in June 2007.

[Source: Original press release]