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e1
QUESTIONS
1. Which material property was the basis for Charles
b. hemocompatibility
c. thermal stability
d. viscoelasticity
e. all of the above.
2. Silicone breast implants cause which of the following
complications?
a. breast cancer
3. Among the following applications where silicones are
still in use today, which was the first reported human
implantation of a silicone elastomer medical device?
a. breast augmentation
4. Why are silicone hydrogel contact lenses approved
for longer wear than conventional soft lenses?
5. Why were silicone materials originally applied to nee-
dles and syringes?
ANSWERS
1. The most correct answer is (c). While hemocompat-
ibility, biostability and viscoelastic properties are all
2. The correct answer is (e). Women with silicone breast
implants have been the subject of numerous epide-
remarkably uniform, and concludes there is no causal
association. More than ten studies have been pub-
More information regarding this topic can be found
in the informative report “Safety of Silicone Breast
3. The correct answer is (b). While many believe that
Holter’s silicone hydrocephalic shunts in 1956 were
the earliest use, the first reported human implan-
tation of a silicone elastomer medical device was
actually a decade before. In April 1946, Dr. Frank
Lahey used silicone elastomer materials from the
today’s breast implants still have shells made of sili-
cone elastomer. Silicone stents and T-tubes remain
in use for biliary repair. Valved hydrocephalus
shunts of silicone, including the popular Pudenz-
and hypospadias.
4. The major advantage of silicone hydrogel contact
lenses is the high permeability of the material to gases,
e.g., allowing adequate oxygen to reach the cornea.
Conventional soft (hydrophilic) lenses rely mostly on
the water they contain for their oxygen permeabil-
ity. In general, the higher the water content of those
lenses, the higher the oxygen permeability. However,
even with very high water content, conventional soft
while decreasing the water content in silicone hydro-
gel formulations actually increases the oxygen perme-
5. Silicone materials were originally applied to delay
clotting of blood being delivered or sampled by the
CHAPTER II.5.18
Medical Applications of Silicones
