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Health
Breast Cancer
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Health
Slideshow
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Health
Slideshow
Call it the case of the disappearing rack. A 59-year-old woman’s breast implant mysteriously went MIA during a Pilates class. Not exactly the kind of body-sculpting she was going for.
We know it sounds unbelievable, but the case study published in the New England Journal of Medicine even has images to prove it.
During her routine, the woman was performing the valsalva maneuver, a breathing technique where you take a deep breath and then push out without actually exhaling. It’s kind of like filling your lungs up with as much air as you can and then straining like you’re about to take a big you-know-what. This builds up all sorts of air pressure inside your chest. And in the case of this woman, it lead to her body “swallowing” her implant.
While you might be inclined to snicker and say, “Serves her right for getting a boob job in the first place” (I admit: it was my first reaction), the woman was a breast cancer survivor who had undergone a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Clearly, this wasn't some kind of karmic retribution for being too vain.
And it's unlikely to happen to other surgically-enhanced bosoms, so don't hightail it for the phone to cancel your Pilates 10-pack.
This woman recently underwent a heart procedure to repair a leaky valve. According to MSNBC.com, the operation involved separating the patient's chest muscles between her ribs. When she went into her valsalva breathing routine, the implant pushed right through the weakened tissue between her ribs and into the space between her lungs.
But, at least the story has a happy ending. The woman was not injured in any way, suffered no pain, and had her implant put back in its rightful place. No word, however, on whether she’ll be practicing this particular Pilates move again anytime soon.
