Local and general complications after mammoplasty



Mammoplasty is currently gaining increasing popularity among women around the world.

However, before carrying out this operation, it is necessary to familiarize not only with the advantages of surgical breast changes, but also with complications after mammoplasty.

Below is a list of local complications after mammoplasty and adverse results that occur in at least 1% of patients. You may need non-surgical methods or additional surgeries to treat any of them, you should discuss any complications and necessary treatment with a doctor.



The most common discomfort after surgery is pain in the chest and in the nipple .

In a fair operation, the surgeon minimizes the risk of complications, but, nevertheless, there are a number of complications:

• Atrophy of the breast tissue .
• Extrusion The skin cracks and the implant appears through it.
• Infection , including toxic shock syndrome. It occurs when wounds are infected with microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi. Most infections as a result of surgery appear within a few days to a week, but infection is possible at any time after surgery. If the infection cannot be treated with antibiotics, the implant can be removed.
• Necrosis . Dead skin or tissue around the chest. Necrosis can be caused by infection, the use of steroids in a surgical breast pocket, smoking, chemotherapy / radiation, and very high or low high temperatures.
• Gap . The hole in the outer shell of the implant.
• Ptosis
• Iatrogenic Injury / Damage . Injury or damage to the tissue or implant as a result of implantation.
• Tumor accumulation of serum in the tissues .
• Collect fluid around the implant . May cause swelling, pain and bruising. Small seroma pass independently in most cases. Large ones require surgical drainage.
• Deflation (excision). Saline leak from breast implant. Occurs often due to leakage of the valve or rupture of the implant shell, with partial or complete disintegration of the implant.
• Capsule contracture . Tightening the tissue capsule around the implant, which leads to breast hardness and compression of the implant.
• Calcium / calcium deposits Hard lumps under the skin around the implant. They may be mistaken for cancer during mammography, which leads to additional surgery.

Changes after surgery are visible immediately. However, not all manifestations are positive.

On the part of negative external manifestations after mammoplasty, most of the complaints are appeals, the subjects of which are:



• Not satisfied with the result . The patient or doctor is not satisfied with the result of implantation (for example, the shape or size of the breast after surgery).
• Visibility The implant can be seen through the skin.
• Tangibility . The implant can be felt through the skin.

Complications, theoretically, can occur after any surgical intervention.

Any complications or pathologies that occur after surgery should be observed and adjusted exclusively by the doctor.

For any complications, contact the surgeon.

The list of the most common complications after mammoplasty:

• Asymmetry . Breasts are not identical in appearance in terms of size, shape or level of the breast.
• Thinning and shrinking skin .
• Chest deformity .
• Slow wound healing . Slow healing or lack thereof.
• Inflammation / Irritation . The response of the body to infection or trauma. Looks like redness, swelling, pain and / or loss of sensation.
• Lymphedema or Lymphadenopathy . Swollen or swollen lymph nodes.
• Changes to the nipples . Increase or decrease in sensitivity in the nipples and / or chest. May vary in degree and may be temporary or permanent. May affect sex life or breastfeeding.
• Sagging breasts . It is the result of normal aging, pregnancy, or weight loss.
• Redness / Bruise . Bleeding during surgery can lead to skin pigmentation. This is an expected symptom due to surgery, which is temporary.
• Puckering Implant wrinkling in the form of a wave.
• Skin rash . Rash on or around the chest.
• Hematoma . Blood collection near the site of the operation. May cause swelling, bruising and pain. Hematomas usually appear immediately after surgery, but may occur after injury to the chest. Small hematomas pass quickly, while large hematomas may require medical intervention, such as surgical drainage.
• Wrong position . The implant is not in the correct position in the chest. This can occur during surgery or after, if the implant moves or shifts from its original location. The change can be caused by factors such as weight lifting, injury or capsular contracture.

Breast implants are not installed once and for life.

The longer you have breast implants, the more likely it is that complications will occur. There is no guarantee that you will have a satisfactory cosmetic result from any repeated intervention.

A serious complication is abdominal swelling after mammoplasty.

The type of surgical procedure performed during the reoperation depends on the negative effects of breast reconstruction. You may need to carry out one or more repeated operations due to one complication or a combination of local complications.

Types of surgical procedures that can be performed in reoperation include:

• Removal or replacement of the implant.
• Removal of capsules or surgical release of scar tissue around the implant.
• Surgical removal of excess scar tissue on the chest.
• Hematoma drainage, in which excess blood is removed with a needle or tube.
• Surgical implant movement.
• Removal of cysts.