Kikuchi's histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis associated with ruptured silicone breast implant.

OBJECTIVE

In this report we explore the relationship between Kikuchi's necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease, KD) and a leaky silicone breast implant.

PATIENT: The simultaneous occurrence of KD and silicone lymphadenopathy in an axillary lymph node of a patient with a leaking silicone breast implant is reported. Since both KD and silicone implants have been implicated in autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, serologic tests for antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor were performed.

RESULTS

Axillary lymph nodes showed both silicone lymphadenopathy, as well as classic morphologic and immunophenotypic features of KD. Screening tests for systemic autoimmune disorders were within normal range, suggesting that the unusual Kikuchi's-like immune reaction in one axillary lymph node was localized. The patient has no evidence of progressive immunologic disorders 3 years later. Subsequent lymph node biopsies showed silicone adenopathy with no evidence of KD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that silicone compounds may be associated with transient abnormal immune reactions and lend further support to the hypothesis that KD represents an exuberant T-cell-mediated immune response to a variety of nonspecific stimuli.