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Breast reconstruction tissue expanders can cause pain but usually not

John Philip Di Saia, MD answers: Do breast reconstruction tissue expanders cause any pain as they expand?

It seems like a tissue expander would be painful as it stretches the skin - am I crazy?


John P. Di Saia, MD
10 months ago
By John P. Di Saia, MD - Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Hello,

Sensations are blunted a great deal by the mastectomy (surgery to remove the breast with the cancer) that preceeds tissue expansion. Sometimes patients feel a little discomfort but usually they are numb. A feeling of "pressure" with expansion is more common which is not uncomfortable.

Best Regards.

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More answers to “Do breast reconstruction tissue expanders cause any pain...”

A: Expansion should be done short of pain

Hisham Seify, MD, PhD
10 months ago
By Hisham Seify, MD, PhD - Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Adding more volume to expanders following mastectomy is done slowly allowing the tissues to expand with minimal tension.

The office injection has to be short of pain. If the patient feels some pain, the injection stops or some fluid could be taken out.

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