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Hardness at Top of the Left Breast Implant After Unrelated Surgery

asked 1 year ago by Conn in Michigan
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 138 times
Tags: harden

After open heart surgery I have hardness at top of left breast Implant. I had emergency open heart surgery, mitral valve replacement. I have saline implants which the surgeons were being very careful with. I have at the top under collar bone, only on the left breast, a hard spot, it feels like scar tissue and the edge of the implant. Had a titanium mitral valve put in. The hard area is causing pain like it is on a nerve going down my shoulder and arm. It has not deflated. Do you think this could be serious? I have no extra money or health insurance for it! I'm 54.

3 answers to Hardness at Top of the Left Breast Implant After Unrelated Surgery

+1

Hardness on chest

 A firm area above your chest after heart surgey could be many things from the catheter used to measure central venous pressures to scar tissue to  ame a few. You should have it checked out to be sure.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Hardness at Top of the Left Breast Implant After Unrelated Surgery

When performing open heart srugery, it is not uncommon to place a central venous catheter in the location you are describing. Before getting concerned about the implant, query your cardiac surgeon about the presence of such a catheter. Althernatively you could get an MRI.
Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Hardness at top of the left breast implant after unrelated surgery

The hardness at the top of your implant sounds like capsular contracture. During your surgery, a pocket was made in your breast for the implant. When breast implants are placed into the body, a lining or capsule of tissue forms around the implants as you heal. This is your body's natural response to a foreign object. Usually, the pocket will stay open and the capsule stays soft. However, our body will sometimes want to shrink the "scar" tissue, which is what occurs during... more
Sam Speron, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

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