Can I request an implant removal or change for an implant I did not agree to & is banned?

thanks for this interesting question. I am sorry to hear that this has happened and I understand the distress this might be causing you.

I believe there are 3 different brands of implants that have been officially withdrawn from use in UK in relatively recent times for reasons of safety concerns about manufacture / design.

this means that the MHRA (uk's healthcare medicines and devices regulator) removes its approval (CE certificate).

2010 - 'PIP' implants
2015 (25th September) - silimed implants
2018 (16th December) - allergan textured implants

I agree that in UK, an implant shouldn't be used after the date which MHRA has withdrawn certificate and it would be reasonable to seek to have this remedied if your facts are correct.

In terms of having the implant removed or exchanged you would need to bring this to the attention of the clinic / surgeon who treated you previously if you want them to remedy the situation by, for example, reoperating or by refunding.

These withdrawals are difficult because they cause a lot of anxiety. The reality is that there are risks with all types of implants and those that have been withdrawn are simply considered to be rather less safe than the ones that haven't when statistics and data are analysed and therefore they have been withdrawn....but this doesn't mean that a bad or dangerous outcome awaits everybody who has one of the banned implants......far from it...the vast majority will still expect to have no problems.

The advice about all of these implants, so far as I am aware, is that the risk of problems remains low and the odds are strongly in favour of there being no adverse health effects from these implants on a case-by-case basis - so it is not thought to be obligatory to remove/replace unless there are signs or symptoms (e.g swelling, tightening, firmness, pain), not least because there can be some risks from exchanging implants..... and all types of implants (not just the banned ones) have the potential to need removal (capsule formation, change of breast shape with time, pain, rupture).

If your breasts feel soft and you are happy with appearance my advice is to accept this but, if you become aware of any symptoms or changes you should seek early advice and often NHS breast clinic will be the best and quickest access for assessment and likely a scan.

best wishes Oliver Harley Plastic Surgeon