Silicone (medical and surgical uses)

Silicone has found a variety of uses in medical technology and as a surgically implanted material.

Injection or implantation within the body

Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery

Historically, silicone was first used as a injectable material.

Dermal filler

Facial fillers are used to fill in the creases and voids left by the thinning and loss of elasticity of aging skin.

Eye surgery

Glaucoma valve

Use as a dressing or stent during healing

Skin

When scars on the skin are thick and raised, they are called hypertrophic. Keloids, in contrasts, are not only thick and raised - but extend beyond the bounds of the healed wound. In both situations, the scar is obvious and requests for improvement are often made by patients. The use of topical application of sheets of silicone over the scar for a number of weeks often helps improve the appearance.( reference Chapter 24 - SCAR REVISION AND CAMOUFLAGE in Cummings: Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, 4th ed., Copyright © 2005 Mosby, Inc.)

Deep tissues

Burn patient

Silicone sheets are sometimes used as "synthetic “scaffolds” to allow for native tissue regeneration" for the seriously burned patient who has exposed tendons and other injury that require soft tissue coverage for salvage. (Jeng JC. Fidler PE. Sokolich JC. Jaskille AD. Khan S. White PM. Street III JH. Light TD. Jordan MH. Seven years' experience with integra as a reconstructive tool. [Journal: Article] Journal of Burn Care & Research. Vol. 28(1)(pp 120-126), 2007.)