# Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants With Sarcoid‐Like Pulmonary Lesions Triggered by Silicone Implant Rupture and Improved After Explantation

## TL;DR

A woman developed an autoimmune syndrome after a silicone implant rupture, which improved after implant removal.

## Contribution

This case report highlights silicone leakage, not exposure duration, as a key factor in adjuvant-induced autoimmune syndrome.

## Key findings

- Silicone implant rupture triggered autoimmune symptoms and sarcoid-like lung lesions.
- Clinical and radiological improvements occurred after implant removal.
- Histopathology confirmed foreign-body granulomas consistent with ASIA.

## Abstract

Silicone implants can trigger adjuvant‐induced autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome (ASIA). We present a 53‐year‐old woman who had undergone bilateral intramuscular silicone breast implantation at X−24 years. Following implant rupture at X year, she developed cough, fatigue, and arthralgia, accompanied by worsening sarcoid‐like pulmonary lesions. After implant removal, her clinical symptoms and radiological findings improved. Histopathological examination findings identified foreign‐body granulomas, fulfilling diagnostic criteria for ASIA. This case suggests that silicone leakage after implant rupture, rather than the duration of exposure, is a critical factor in disease development and progression. The sarcoid‐like pulmonary lesions in this case may represent a sarcoid‐like granulomatous reaction triggered by silicone exposure in the setting of ASIA, rather than true systemic sarcoidosis. Early implant removal appears beneficial for both the diagnosis and treatment of ASIA.

Silicone implant rupture can trigger an autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants, presenting with sarcoid‐like pulmonary lesions. In this case report, removal of the ruptured implants led to clinical and radiological improvements.