My Artery Ruptured After Breast Aug. & Lift, Why Would this Happen?

Bleeding after surgery is a very small risk and bleeding 13 days after surgery is even more uncommon. In twenty years of practice I have had one patient just like you. For whatever reason the blood vessels stay cauterized and then started bleeding after the body's natural healing mechanisms kick in. It might also have happened if the natural stretching that occurs disrupted a blood vessel at the edge of the strecthing. I'm sure it was quite frightening for and I trust that your surgeon took good care of you. It should not really affect your final result.

This would have been a frightening experience for any patient to experience but is fortunately a rare event with breast augmentation surgery. You developed a hematoma (collection of blood) around your breast implant nearly two weeks after surgery. Just when you thought you were almost healed you had this setback. Each surgeon will have their own experience but in my practice there is a less than 1% risk of this occurring and requiring urgent additional surgery. Although a hematoma after breast augmentation is most likely to occur in the first hours after surgery, they can develop many weeks after surgery when healing is still going on.

To understand this better you must realize that during all surgery, many blood vessels and small arteries are cut in order to introduce and make space for the implant. Plastic Surgeons are experts at doing this surgery with minimal blood loss. Tiny blood vessels are cauterized (burned) or tied to prevent them from bleeding. Each vessel develops a  blood clot that is slowly replaced by scar over a few weeks to create a permanent seal. However, during the first few weeks these "seals" are weak and could start to bleed if the "seal" gives away. Increasing the risk of this happening are periods of elevated blood pressure (such as what happens with a cough or sneeze), too much physical activity and movement before you are healed or using medications that reduce your ability to form blood clots such as aspirin and ibuprofen or delay healing such as steroids.

It is unfortunate that you experienced this and likely nothing would have prevented this in your case.  I am glad that you were well looked after and wish you the best over the long term.

Regards,

Dr. Mosher

I am very sorry for your unfortunate complication.  Bleeding can occur with any surgery, but luckily it is uncommon.  First, you did nothing wrong and sometimes a bleeding event like yours represents some bad luck.  At the time of surgery, your tissues were dissected and vessels were cauterized.  I believe your cough led to a clot to pop off a vessel or you might of torn a vessel.  I am hoping you have already seen your plastic surgeon and he/she has dealt with the resultant hematoma (blood collection).   Left untreated, a hematoma can lead to infection or capsular contracture of the breast (hardening of the breast)  Good luck.