Of all the operations to improve one or another part of the body, the one that has gained the greatest popularity in our country, and not only in our country, is mammoplasty. In many Arab countries, when their daughters reach adulthood, parents give them a trip to a plastic surgeon for breast augmentation. Many Russian women also strive to improve this part of the body, naively believing that they will be able to solve many problems in this way.

However, few people think about the fact that plastic surgery for breast augmentation can lead to serious complications. Let's start with the fact that in our country such operations are very often performed not only by experienced surgeons, but also by charlatans who do not have the appropriate licenses and use prohibited implants.

But even if breast augmentation surgery is performed by a professional, the risk of complications is significantly reduced, but still remains. Therefore, before you go under the surgeon’s knife, familiarize yourself with what complications may arise after surgery.

Complications after mammoplasty

Implant displacement
In some cases, patients experience downward displacement of the implant within a month. In this case, the breast nipples begin to move upward, and this looks very unnatural. With such a displacement, additional surgery is necessary, during which the surgeon will create an additional “pocket” for the implant.

Infection
If the operation was performed by a non-professional, within a few days after mammoplasty, the patient may experience an inflammatory process in the breast with a strong increase in body temperature. In this case reoperation is required in which the implant is removed until the inflammatory process stops completely. Only after this a new implant is installed in the mammary gland.

Symmastia
A fairly common occurrence after breast augmentation is symmastia or breast fusion. This may occur due to the fact that the breasts were located too close to each other before surgery or due to the use of very large implants. In the second case, such implants are replaced with smaller ones, and in the first case, after the operation, the patient is recommended to wear auxiliary bandages or a special bra for some time.

Capsular contracture
This problem occurs quite often several years after surgery. The breasts become very hard to the touch and look very unnatural in appearance.. This happens due to the fact that after the operation, special capsules begin to form around the implant, protecting against any foreign objects that enter our body. The implant is precisely that foreign body. If capsules have already formed, the surgeon usually removes the excess and creates a new “pocket” for the implant. But, in principle, the doctor recommends that the patient regularly undergo a special massage to maintain the mobility of the implant in the pocket.

Stress
Those women who have enlarged their breasts in order to solve financial or personal problems are quite often very disappointed, since after mammoplasty the problems remain unresolved. There is only one conclusion - you should not rely on breast surgery.

And finally, some statistics:

• The vast majority of those who have had their breasts enlarged through surgery experience at least one complication within three years.

• At least forty percent of women who have had breast augmentation surgery, after a certain time, again resort to the services of a plastic surgeon to eliminate the shortcomings of the first operation.

• Implants wear out over time and must be replaced every five years.

• At least thirty percent of women complain about implant rupture or leakage.

• In some cases, death is possible during breast augmentation surgery.

• The presence of silicone in the body increases the risk of developing lymphoma by 18 times.

Yana Ibrahima especially for

Mammoplasty is the most popular of all types of plastic surgery, as it can be used to solve many defects in the female breast. Enlargement, reduction or making yourself a “new” breast after resection is not a problem today. But all those who are planning to change the shape or size of the mammary glands need to be aware of the possible consequences of surgery. Complications after mammoplasty can be general surgical and specific. Let's look at each group separately.

General surgical complications

These are complications that arise as a result of violations of surgical technique. Consequences such as bruising and swelling after mammoplasty are usually not a cause for concern because they go away quickly. More dangerous conditions include:

Wound infection– infection enters the wound if the rules of asepsis and antisepsis are violated during surgery, as well as if the rules of postoperative care are not followed.

What to do? In the best case, the patient is prescribed antibacterial therapy, in the worst case, if there is no effect after antibiotics, a repeat operation. In this case, the implant is removed, and it will be possible to insert it again only after 5-6 months. Sanitation of all chronic foci of infection before surgery and adherence to aseptic rules help reduce the risk of complications.

Formation of keloids and hypertrophic scars– in some cases, such consequences after mammoplasty occur if the patient has a tendency to form them. Externally, scars spoil the breast, rising above the skin in the form of a dense roller.

What do they do in this case? Scars are excised and, if possible, excess tissue is removed, but then treatment is continued using or, medications and other methods. Doctors advise to avoid such consequences in only one way - not to resort to the services of plastic surgeons if there is a tendency to form scar tissue. Read more about the treatment of hypertrophic scars.

Hematoma and seroma– accumulation of blood or serous fluid occurs if during the operation the blood (lymphatic) vessels were damaged and not sutured. But sometimes a hematoma occurs already during the rehabilitation period, when a vessel bursts. Reasons: the patient has poor blood clotting, the size of the implant is chosen incorrectly, or the woman has had a jump in blood pressure.

What to do? In this case, the accumulated fluid is removed using a drainage tube, and then the main cause of this complication is eliminated. To prevent it, it is necessary to carefully collect anamnesis before surgery and follow all recommendations of the attending physician after the intervention.

Decreased or complete loss of sensation in the areolas and nipples– the main reason for the appearance is damage to the nerves in the area of ​​the nipple-areolar complex. In some cases, patients complain of increased sensitivity or pain after mammoplasty, which is a normal reaction of the body. The incidence of this complication decreases sharply if the surgeon is highly qualified and experienced, and the woman’s breasts are handled gently and carefully. Partial or complete numbness of the nipple-areolar complex is a common complication when performing gigantomastia.

Temperature after mammoplasty– occurs against the background of an inflammatory process and is a response of the immune system (temperature above 38 degrees). Figures below 38 degrees (low-grade) on the first day indicate not an inflammatory reaction, but a general reaction of the body to surgery. In the first case, antibiotic therapy is prescribed, in the second - observation.

Specific complications of mammoplasty

These are conditions associated with the installation of endoprostheses and the process of their engraftment. These include:

Capsular fibrous contracture– occurs when a dense shell forms around the implant. The causes of this complication are not fully understood, but the only solution is to replace the breast prosthesis. It has been proven that implants with a rough surface cause this complication less often than their smooth counterparts.

Fibrous-capsular contracture on the left and the result of correction

Implant rupture– violation of the integrity of the prosthesis. When saline implants rupture, the breasts shrink and take on an unaesthetic appearance. Damage to an endoprosthesis filled with cohesive gel is not always visualized. Its integrity is established by MRI.

The reason for the appearance is that the selected implant has too thin a shell, which often happens when inserting cheap prostheses. How to avoid this complication? Choose only those that have proven themselves in the market. Naturally, the old implant is removed and a new one is inserted.

Read more information about their types and manufacturers by following the link.

Deformation of the endoprosthesis– looks like ripples on the chest and is a type of capsular contracture. The reason for the appearance is the thin skin of the mammary glands, and the complication can only be eliminated with repeated surgery with placement of the implant under the muscle.

Implant displacement— asymmetry occurs after mammoplasty, since the implant can move in any direction. The reasons are that the anatomical features of the breast are not taken into account, the size of the implant is larger than necessary, or the location for installing the prosthesis was chosen incorrectly.

Increased deformity in the form of a double fold with tension in the muscles of the chest wall. Occurs when the implant is placed completely in the muscle bed

Implant displacement

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After breast augmentation surgery, there is always a risk of the implant moving from its original location due to gravity, capsular contracture, muscle traction, during the healing process, or the weight of the implant itself.

Implant displacement can occur either immediately after surgery or several months after it. The implant can be displaced in different directions. It is interesting to note that the position of the nipple indicates the opposite side of implant displacement. That is, if the nipple has moved upward, then the implant has shifted downward, if downward, then the implant has shifted upward. If the implant has moved to the right, then the nipple will look to the left, and vice versa.

If the breast implant is significantly displaced, the mammary gland loses its natural appearance, which may require surgical intervention to restore the previous appearance of the breast. Upward displacement of the implant can be easily corrected due to the force of gravity (gravity). Trying to “lift” an implant that has moved downwards is usually very problematic. And the more difficult it is to do this, the larger the implant itself.

The risk of implant displacement is influenced by its weight, size and position. Implants with a capacity of more than 500 ml are more susceptible to displacement. Saline implants are heavier than silicone implants, so they are more likely to dislodge. Additionally, implants that are located above the muscle are also more likely to become dislodged than those that are located underneath the muscle.

• Breast implant displacement

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October 13-14, 2019 During the Conference, online broadcasts of reconstructive bariatric surgeries will be held. Doctors Vadim Viktorovich Fedenko and Vladimir Viktorovich Evdoshenko were invited to this conference as leading experts in the field of bariatric surgery.

March 26-28, 2019 Training seminar "Reconstructive bariatric surgery".

Seminar of the Society of Bariatric Surgeons is aimed at the topic of repeated operations in bariatrics, complications, their treatment and solving exceptional clinical situations in bariatric practice.

Quite often there are patients who are dissatisfied with the result. They ignore the topic of complications after surgery so as not to get upset again. Even experienced ones rarely list all possible complications to their patients.

Most of them focus on the fact that a positive attitude during the rehabilitation period will help you survive the operation.

What consequences should you be prepared for after surgery?

Any surgery in the breast area can cause various complications. You need to be especially careful when performing surgery. Conventionally, doctors divide all complications into 2 groups:

• those that occur immediately after the procedure;
• those that appear after 1 – 2 months.

The video below will tell you what consequences after surgery you should be prepared for:

Complications after mammoplasty

Women are usually worried before the upcoming operation. They are concerned about the likelihood of complications and various postoperative problems. Sometimes repeated surgery is required to eliminate complications of previously performed mammoplasty. After breast augmentation, various complications may occur, which we will consider in more detail.

Seroma and swelling after mammoplasty (photo)

Hematomas

The causes of bleeding are different:

• bleeding from an injured vessel that the surgeon did not notice and did not stitch up. This happens in exceptional cases;
• bleeding can begin from a damaged vessel in which the blood initially clotted, and then bleeding began again (after completion of the operation).

In any of the cases, a cavity is formed in the cavity surrounding the implant. In this case, the following symptoms are externally visible:

• change in the shape and symmetry of the mammary glands;
• enlargement of the part of the chest where the hematoma occurred;
• brownish clot under the skin.

Even after the bleeding stops on its own, the blood will not resolve. The optimal option for eliminating a blood clot is represented by a new operation, which consists of performing a puncture, incision, and cleaning the postoperative pocket for the prosthesis.

Edema

This complication occurs in everyone who has undergone surgery in the chest area. due to tissue injury during mammoplasty. Edema is considered a problem worthy of attention when it does not decrease within two weeks.

Swelling persists for a very long time for the following reasons:

• he gave up very early;
• early physical activity;
• exposure to heat during any thermal procedures (in the bath, in the sauna).

If you behave correctly and follow all the surgeon’s instructions, the swelling should subside without any problems.

Asymmetry

Typically, this complication occurs due to displacement of the prosthesis. A defect in the healing of the implant can also provoke such a complication. The reaction of body tissues is unpredictable even with professionally performed surgery. To eliminate this side effect, repeat surgery will be required.

Pain

Pain in the first days after surgery is considered normal. Painkillers are used to relieve them. Gradually, the pain in the wound area should subside and then disappear completely.

Constant pain, which may intensify or subside, indicates the development of complications. On average, the rehabilitation period lasts about 2 months.

Seroma

This formation is represented by an accumulation of serous fluid inside the cavity surrounding the implant. It can occur on one side or both. With the development of pathology, an enlargement of the mammary gland is observed. To eliminate this formation, a procedure is performed under ultrasound guidance. Liquid is removed from the cavity using a special syringe.

This video will also tell you about seroma after mammoplasty:

Cracks and ruptures of implants

Loss of dermal elasticity and mastoptosis

Most often, doctors diagnose in cases where the prosthesis is installed under the mammary gland, and not under the muscle. It is difficult to say how quickly this complication will manifest itself after the operation. The pathology develops more quickly in those women whose breasts began to sag before surgery.

This unpleasant consequence of the operation can be removed in different ways:

• replace the old prosthesis with a new, larger one;
• perform a breast lift, and then put the previous implant in place.

Loss of sensation in the dermis

This complication occurs because during mammoplasty the nerves leading to the skin are injured. Most often, doctors record such a complication after making an incision around the nipple. Also, loss of sensitivity may occur when implants are introduced from the area of ​​the axillary or submammary approach.

There are rare cases where sensitivity is lost forever. It usually returns 2 to 6 months after mammoplasty.

Capsular contracture

Connective tissue forms around each foreign body. The same thing happens around the implant. The fibrous capsule is considered a problem when the implant is compressed under its pressure and the implant is deformed.

Experts believe that possible causes of connective tissue proliferation include:

• regular physical activity;
• improper preparation of the implant for surgery;
• penchant for education.

Necrosis

Tissue necrosis does not allow the wound to heal and provokes. This complication often occurs as a result of the use of steroids, an infectious disease, -, -, radio-, thermotherapy. To solve the problem, correction and removal of the prosthesis are necessary.

Contouring of the implant under the epidermis layer

This complication is observed more often in slender girls. After all, their dermis has practically no subcutaneous fatty tissue, a layer of fat that could cover the prosthesis. Contouring can also be a benefit for those who, after mammoplasty, have decided to lose weight.

The solution to this problem is represented by the following actions:

Spiral board effect (skin ripples)

This pathology is also known as ripping. Pathology occurs due to tension in the dermis around the implant. Stripes appear on the dermis in the form of depressions the width of a finger. This pathology is not static. She periodically appears and then disappears. It all depends on the position of the body and the movements performed.

Most often, the problem is faced by thin girls whose breast volume is very small. You can remove this effect:

• breasts;
• replacing the saline implant with a gel one;
• add volume using fillers;
• replacing the old implant with a smaller one;
• by transplanting an implant under the muscle.

Implant displacement

Until complete fixation in the tissues, any implant will migrate. To reduce the degree of displacement, doctors recommend wearing compression garments and limiting physical activity. You should also not sleep on your side or back.

Implant displacement can occur symmetrically or asymmetrically. In the first case, the loss of the ideal breast shape is explained by the collapse of part of the breast above the nipple. In this case, the area of ​​the breast under the nipple becomes disproportionately large. In the second case, the patient is bothered by a pronounced cosmetic defect, which can only be eliminated by repeated surgery.

Damage to ducts and breast tissue

This complication does not occur in all women. You need to prepare for such a consequence in the case when there is an incision around the nipple and installation of an implant under the glandular part of the mammary gland. This complication is not harmful to those who do not plan to breastfeed their children in the future.

If pregnancy is planned, the child will need to be fed artificial formula.

Scars

The appearance of scars after surgery is common. There are no people for whom surgical intervention would not leave a trace. The brightness of the manifestation and the size of the postoperative scar depend on the characteristics of the body and the care of the incision area.

Correct care is considered when the patient minimizes tissue tension on both sides of the scar. You can use the following tools:

• paper strips (adhesive strip that prevents divergence);
• compression garments;
• silicone stickers on the seams.

• massage scars;
• rub in creams, ointments;
• use .

The use of absorbable drugs is allowed from the moment when the connective tissues of the scar mature. Scars can be made less noticeable (etc.). If the scar is convex, it will not be possible to eliminate it.

Suppuration

Reasons why suppuration occurs:

• rejection of the implant by the body;
• penetration into the wound of pathogenic bacteria that provoked.

When suppuration occurs, pain is usually a concern. Painkillers only slightly mask the attack of pain. In a place of inflammation, with elevated temperature. Redness and pain can spread throughout the entire mammary gland.

Suppuration is treated in this way:

• installation of a drainage tube at the site of inflammation. Then rinsing and intensive antibacterial therapy are carried out;
• removal of the implant (this method is used when drainage is ineffective).

Unnatural breast appearance

Few women who want to increase their breast size think about the naturalness of the new shape. Therefore, after mammoplasty, the artificial breast is easy to recognize visually and by touch.

Women often do not know what to do; they choose large implants. This results in a very high chest position, which often does not correspond to their age.

Although implants have already been developed that resemble natural ones (“Soft Touch”), women choose harder implants. The silicone implant is very hard, which makes it different from natural breasts.

When is revision mammoplasty possible?

After the first breast surgery, almost every fifth patient needs to prepare for repeated operations. The need for a repeat operation lies in the following nuances:

1. Implant lifespan. Manufacturers recommend replacing the implant every 10 years.
2. Incorrect breast size assessment. Sometimes, fearing complications from a large implant, women choose a small implant. When the swelling goes away, they realize that they made a mistake with the size.
3. Breast lift. Breasts still sag with age, even with an implant. To lift their breasts, women have to undergo repeated surgery.
4. Capsular contracture. Repeated surgery is necessary due to the growth of scar tissue around the installed implant.

Repeated surgery is sometimes more difficult due to the likelihood of complications and a long rehabilitation period. Very often, women combine revision mammoplasty with a breast lift.

Typically, a second operation is performed 6 to 7 months after the first. As an exception, surgery may be performed earlier if there is an urgent medical indication.

Even more useful information on this topic is in the video below:

Breast enhancement surgeries are among the most popular. After all, such an intervention solves not only aesthetic, but also psychological problems, often eliminating complexes. But mammoplasty can also cause complications. Problems come in different forms, and there are many reasons for their occurrence.

Read in this article

Possible problems

Mammoplasty is a serious surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia. During the operation, living tissue is damaged, which must then heal. All this does not exclude the occurrence of problems inherent in any surgical procedure. Their occurrence is not at all necessary, but possible. Complications can be divided into general and specific.

Surgical

General complications include the following:

• Development of the infectious process. The problem is detected a few days, less often weeks, after the operation. The pain characteristic of this period does not subside as it should, but intensifies. Swelling and redness of the skin also increase, and purulent fluid is released from the sutures. If the complication is caught at an early stage, it can be eliminated by taking antibiotics. In other cases, you have to remove the implant, carry out treatment and only then do mammoplasty again.

A - skin necrosis; B - suture gap; C—fat necrosis; D — necrosis of the nipple-areolar zone

Leaving the problem unattended is dangerous. The infection can develop to toxic shock, manifested by a sudden rise in temperature, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, and loss of consciousness. This is a deadly condition.

• Hematoma and seroma. They are accumulations of blood and serous fluid. A hematoma can form as a result of leakage from a vessel damaged during the intervention. Sometimes its walls are injured in the postoperative period. Seroma occurs in a similar pattern, but contains serous fluid. Small formations disappear without intervention.

Hematoma

But if fluid continues to flow into them, increasing the problem to a significant size, it is necessary to drain the formation and suture the vessel. Otherwise, complications can lead to infection and more complex conditions.

• Formation of rough scars. Normally, healed sutures should be barely noticeable. But if the body has a tendency to hypertrophic tissue fusion or the appearance of keloid scars, a problem will arise. When mammoplasty is the first surgical intervention, this feature cannot be predicted. But if it is known before the operation, it is better not to have the operation, but to correct the breasts in other ways.

Hypertrophic scar

However, a hypertrophic suture can form due to difficult healing caused by improper care and suppuration. In any case, additional treatment will be needed to get rid of the problem.

• Changes in the sensitivity of the nipples and areolas, and the mammary glands in general. The complication has two manifestations - pain or numbness in this area.

The first is justified by tissue damage. But if the nerves are injured or pinched, there is no freedom of muscle contraction, the pain will continue to be present for a considerable time after the operation. This already needs to be treated. Damaged nerves can lead to loss of sensation, which also needs to be addressed.

• Increased body temperature. If it is slightly higher than normal, the symptom is considered as a natural reaction to surgical intervention. But the cause of a rise in temperature can also be developed inflammation. Here you will need to take antibiotics, whereas in the first case simple observation is enough.

Specific

Complications after mammoplasty can also be of a special nature, directly related to damage to mammary gland tissue and the introduction of implants into this area:

• Capsular contracture. The endoprosthesis must acquire a shell of fibrous tissue during the healing process. But if it is too thick and dense, it causes discomfort. The chest becomes hard, painful, and feels full. And the implant is compressed, which can cause damage, displacement, and protrusion through the skin. This requires intervention to remove the endoprosthesis, remove the contracture, and then install a new one. But no one can guarantee that the complication will not recur.

• Implant shell rupture. If it is salty, the breast will immediately change its shape, becoming wrinkled. When a silicone endoprosthesis ruptures, the problem is not always obvious. It is detected during hardware examination. But this complication will in any case require replacement of the implant.

• Breast asymmetry. More often occurs against the background of implant displacement. The problem is also caused by defects in engraftment even if it is in the correct position. Your own tissues can behave unpredictably due to individual characteristics. The complication can be eliminated by repeated surgery.

Implant displacement

• Breast deformity. An external defect in the mammary gland zone can be expressed not only by their asymmetry. For example, there is such a disadvantage as . These are additional hemispheres just below the mammary glands. A problem arises when implants slip shortly after surgery or after a year and a half.

Another defect is symmastia, in which the mammary glands appear fused. Both problems are treated surgically, that is, by performing repeat mammoplasty.

Symmastia

• Allergy to the implant. This is a rare complication, typical for those who, in principle, have an intolerance to many substances and materials. Manifested by breast swelling, skin rashes, and redness. If conservative treatment does not help, the implant will have to be removed.

• Calcification. Under the influence of the presence of a foreign object in the thickness of living tissue, islands of compaction can form. This is a deposit of calcium salts, which, although not common, causes problems. If the complication is extensive, the implants must be removed.

• Necrosis of breast tissue. The areas around the implant are subject to death. The scar tissue formed here is deprived of normal blood supply due to the pressure of the endoprostheses. More often the skin suffers due to the peculiarities of their installation.

• Breast tissue atrophy. It appears over time after long-term placement of implants in the mammary glands or their removal without replacement with new ones. The tissues become thinner, the breasts take on an unaesthetic appearance, unevenness, and sagging.

• Impossibility of lactation after the birth of a child. Surgeons claim that high-quality intervention does not affect the ability to breastfeed. But according to statistics, 67% of women with implants do not have lactation, despite the preservation of the milk ducts. Among mothers who have not had mammoplasty, this number is 7%.

Others

Mammoplasty gives complications after surgery that seem to be not directly related to the presence of implants:

• Connective tissue pathologies. The effect of endoprostheses on the occurrence of autoimmune diseases has not been statistically proven. But it cannot be denied that the operation and tissue adaptation to the presence of a foreign body force the immune system to work in enhanced mode. This weakens it, which may provide a chance for systemic disease.

• Malignant tumors of the mammary glands. It is known that the presence of an implant does not affect their appearance. But after installation, mammographic examination of the breast, which is the most informative in diagnosing cancer, is difficult. And a benign tumor that is not noticed in time has time to degenerate.

• Deterioration of sex life. Loss of breast sensitivity, which some people experience for a long time, deprives a woman of the usual sensations during lovemaking. And this area by nature should be an erogenous zone.

To learn about the most common complications after mammoplasty, watch this video:

Factors that will affect the result

The possibility of getting a complication after mammoplasty surgery is not at all predetermined. What determines a successful outcome of the operation and a problem-free life with implants:

• Choosing an operating doctor and clinic. Many complications arise due to incorrect installation of the implant, violations of sterility during surgery, and careless manipulation of surgical instruments. These are infections, necrosis, hematomas, seromas, damage to areas that should remain untouched during the intervention.

Postoperative care provided in the hospital also affects the outcome. Equally important is the doctor’s taking into account the characteristics of the patient’s body at the stage of preparation for mammoplasty.

• Preparation for surgery and rehabilitation. The results of tests taken to identify contraindications cannot be ignored. It is important to make efforts to prepare the body for it and facilitate recovery after. Drinking alcohol, smoking and taking blood thinning medications are prohibited.

It is mandatory to wear compression garments while avoiding exposure to heat. Careful care of sutures and timely consultation with a doctor if anything is alarming are important.

Mammoplasty gives a chance to correct what nature has done wrong or what merciless time has done. But it requires a more attentive attitude to health, work on oneself, a lot of money, and constant monitoring. If you correct your breasts with implants and avoid complications, you still need to be prepared to replace them in 5 to 15 years.