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Hematoma 16 Days After Breast Augumentation - Will It Go Away?

asked 1 year ago by girlygirlCT in CT
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 3,943 times
Tags: hematoma

I woke up one day with big, painful and hard left breast... it happen almost suddenly! I went to the PS and he did say it was a hematoma and I will see him wednesday again. My question is how often it goes away on its on and how often surgery to drain the blood is necessary? thanks

13 answers to Hematoma 16 Days After Breast Augumentation - Will It Go Away?

Hematoma after Breast Augmentation

If your breast suddenly became large, hard, tense and tender, you almost certainly have a hematoma that must be drained as soon as possible to avoid capsule contracture. Although small bruises do not require treatment, hematoma, which is an accumulation of blood and/or clot in the space around the implant, must be treated to avoid complications or undesirable results.

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

www.pzwiebel.com

Hematoma or bruise?

Your breast doesn't look hard and tense in the photo. This looks more like a bruise to me rather than a genuine hematoma which is a large mass of clotted and liquid blood in the implant pocket. It sounds like your doctor is following this closely. If it looks like it is getting worse rather than better, a trip to the O.R. would likely be indicated. Lisa Lynn Sowder, M.D.

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Hematoma 16 days after surgery

It is believed that hematoma may contribute to capsule contracture. The longest I had a patient develop hematoma was 14 days. I took the patient back to the operating room to evacuate the hematoma and stop the source if the bleeding. Patient is now months out and didn't skip a beat. My vote is to reiterate and remove the hematoma.

Mark D. Epstein, MD
Stony Brook Plastic Surgeon

www.epsteinplasticsurgery.com

Hematoma after breast augmentation

Surgery is generally indicated for an expanding or tense hematoma. Othertimes a well contained hematoma that is stable can be allowed to liquefy and then be evacuated with aspiration at 7-10 days using a blunt cannula to avoid implant injury. Small stable hematomas can be observed. In your case, The breast does not look significantly tense or larger than the left and observation could be a reasonable option.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Hematoma Management VARIES Depending On SIZE

With regards to a hematoma after breast augmentation, it just depends on the size and the symptoms. From your picture, it appears you have some minor bruising in the lower pole. This in itself is usually not a reason to go in and drain the hematoma. However, if the rest of the breast is firm, tense, and painful, then I would go in and evacuate the old blood. Rarely do you find what caused the bleeding, but old blood sitting around the implant can cause an... more

Christopher V. Pelletiere, MD
Barrington Plastic Surgeon

Hematoma after Breast Augmentation

I treat symptomatic hematomas with surgery to evacuate the blood and stop any persistent bleeding. Small resolving hematomas can be managed with observation. From your photo, it looks like you have a minor bruise which will resolve with time.

Hayley Brown MD
Henderson Plastic Surgeon

Management of an augmented breast bruise VS. large blood collection

Regarding: "Hematoma 16 Days After Breast Augumentation - Will It Go Away? I woke up one day with big, painful and hard left breast... it happen almost suddenly! I went to the PS and he did say it was a hematoma and I will see him wednesday again. My question is how often it goes away on its on and how often surgery to drain the blood is necessary? thanks" The management of BRUISING and that of a BLOOD COLLECTION (hematoma) are quite different. Bruising, such as you appear more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Hematoma after Breast Augmentation

Hematoma 16 Days After Breast Augumentation - Will It Go Away? I woke up one day with big, painful and hard left breast... it happen almost suddenly! I went to the PS and he did say it was a hematoma and I will see him wednesday again. My question is how often it goes away on its on and how often surgery to drain the blood is necessary? thanks It is really difficult to say if you have a hematoma or if it really deep bruising. If it is a formal hematoma, where there is some blood i more

Farbod Esmailian, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation Hematoma

Hematoma is a known risk of breast augmentation. It would be very unusual to develop a hematoma 16 days following your augmentation. Although it is difficult to state for certain without an exam, it appears from your photo that you had some bleeding in a deep plane post-op which is only now becoming evident. If this is the case, it should resolve in a few days and I would not be too concerned.

John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon

Late hematoma after breast augmentation

It would be unusual to have a hematoma 16 days after a breast augmentation, but if it is (as opposed to just some bad bruising), it is best to remove the blood surgically. Hematomas in many cases can be observed, and can even be aspirated with a needle after several days when the clotted blood tends to liquify. However, in the case of a hematoma around a breast implant, if it is not thoroughly removed, it will tend to fibrose (become like scar tissue) as the clot matures,... more

Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD
Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

www.pacificplasticsurgery.com

Hematoma of breast

If you have bruising that is one thing, but if you have a hematoma, then you may need to have the fluid removed.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Late hematoma after breast augmentation

Although uncommon, bleeding can occur late after a breast augmentation. It appears that the bruising you have (if new) is somewhat significant and unlikely to be from the original procedure. This will resolve on its own over time, especially if the breast is soft and mobile. However, there is concern that blood within the breast "pocket" - the area created to receive the implant - will result in an increase in the chances for capsular contracture. There is... more

Vincent P. Marin, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Hematoma or bruise?

It looks like what you are showing us is a simple bruise that may not be evident immediately after surgery. If your whole breast is hard and swollen, much more than the other side, you could have an acute seroma or a late bleed. In most cases it resolves, but in some cases it may be necessary to drain in the operating room. Follow up with your surgeon to make sure you get the best result. Good luck.