Breast Reconstruction: Q&A
Ask a QuestionDo Breast Reconstruction Tissue Expanders Cause Pain As They Expand?
It seems like a tissue expander would be painful as it stretches the skin - am I crazy?
It can hurt sometimes, especially if you are slim.
YES, try to avoid expanders if possible!
Tissue expanders placed beneath the muscle for breast reconstruction can be painful
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Tissue expander pain
Gentle expansion after breast reconstruction should not be painful
You shouldn't have pain from breast reconstruction expanders
The discomfort from expanders is usually minimal
Pain may be a determinant of rate of expansion
Expanders are well tolerated
Pain during tissue expander reconstruction
Comments (4)
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
What on earth are all these doctors saying about the tissue expansion process being "painless", "uncomfortable but not painful", and "relieved by Tylenol?". Have any of THEM ever had a double mastectomy, followed by an expansion process with rigid tissue expanders? I'm sorry, but I didn't just feel "fullness" or "mild discomfort". I felt PAIN! And I'm not a wuss...6 years ago, I had my first bout with breast cancer: a lumpectomy, 13 rounds of chemo, 33 rounds of radiation, and 3 reconstruction surgeries. I've also had a complete hysterectomy and several other abdominal surgeries. But tissue expansion IS painful, and I believe patients deserve the option of prescription pain medicine and muscle relaxers - even if only 3-5 days worth are necessary. All this talk about "no pain if it's done correctly" doesn't help the actual patient who's about to experience the expansion. Some "discomfort" relieving medicine would be of greater assistance - at least in the short run.