Avoiding Complications from Breast Reconstruction?

Here are my top three tips for minimizing complications after a breast reconstruction: • If you are a smoker, stop smoking. That change is the most significant method for avoiding complications. • If you are diabetic, maintain close glucose control. Eat a good regular diet, well-balanced with nutrients. In addition, vitamin C has been helpful. • Preoperatively, we have our patients bathe with a chlorhexidine bath for three days prior to surgery.

There is no way to completely avoid complications. The most important thing to do is to remain healthy, eat right, stay within a normal weight range, and avoid smoking to name a few.

This is a good question. There are several variables, some that you can control and some you cannot.  You do want to be at your optimal condition - healthier patients who are not obese, non-smoker, who is not steroid dependent will do better.  It also depends on your cancer treatment and reconstruction choice.  Radiation will increase risks of wound healing problems and implant-related complication, so I usually perform autologous (your own tissue) reconstruction on... more

First of all, the one thing that dramatically inceases the complication rate in breast reconstruction is something you have no control over - namely the history of radiation therapy treatments. Implants and radiation generally don't mix well. Best to use your own tissue in these cases. Otherwise, the next best thing you can do is go to a surgeon who can offer ALL types of breast reconstruction, from implants and expanders all the way to microsurgical flaps. Only then can all of your... more

This is an extremely complex subject and it would be impossible to provide a complete. answer. Number 1: Avoid smoking if you do. Number 2: Be conservative in your desred volumes. Number 3: Seek and experienced surgeon.