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Is Cephalexin strong enough to clear infection in Breast Implant?

I had Breast Augmentation surgery 8 days ago. I was sent home from the surgery centre with a 5 day prescription of Cephalexin. 2 days after finishing the perscription, my left breast is sore and slightly red. The doctor removed the stitches today and said the incision has healed nicely but prescribed another 7 days of Cephalexin for the apparent infection in my left breast. I am wondering if this antibiotic is strong enough or if some more aggressive treatment should be used on the infection?

 

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15 answers to “Is Cephalexin strong enough to clear...”

A: Continue this antibiotic, but call your plastic surgeon and voice your concerns

James C. Grotting, MD
By James C. Grotting, MD - Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

If your plastic surgeon recently saw you, he clearly feels that whatever "infectious" problem you are having will resolve with a first generation cephalosporin such as Keflex.  This antibiotic provides reasonable coverage of infections caused by skin flora, especially gram positive bacteria such... more

A: Continue your post-op care and follow-up with your plastic surgeon!

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD
By Stephen A. Goldstein, MD - Denver Plastic Surgeon

I appreciate your question. In general, Cephalexin is an effective, broad spectrum antibiotic that is commonly used in plastic surgery procedures. The point that I would like to stress is the absolute importance that you continue your care and follow-up with your plastic surgeon. If you feel that your... more

A: No Strength to Antibiotics

Michael S. Beckenstein, MD
By Michael S. Beckenstein, MD - Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Keflex is a commonly used antibiotic to prevent infection known as prophylaxis. If your surgeon is concerned about an early infection another course of antibiotic is reasonable as is close surveillance. Personally, I would use a antibiotic that is more effective for the organisms most commonly the cause... more

A: An infected breast implant probably won't resolve with antibiotics

Peter E. Johnson, MD
By Peter E. Johnson, MD - Chicago Plastic Surgeon

I'm sorry if I have frightened you. Reading your question it is not clear that you have a breast infection. Your surgeon may be continuing a prophylactic antibiotics as a precaution. Our own practice follows our hospital infection control recommendation for prophylaxis derived from the American College of... more

A: Yes Cephalexin is

Sirish Maddali, MD
By Sirish Maddali, MD - Bay Area Plastic Surgeon

Cephalexin is fine for simple skin infections, even in the setting of a breast implant. It is difficult to say for sure that you have an infection without examining you. However, if one of my patients had redness around the incision site and tenderness that seems like an infection, I would prescribe the same... more

A: Cephalexin and Breast Implants

Steven Wallach, MD
By Steven Wallach, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Cephalexin is a first generation cephalosporin that treats skin flora like staph aureus.  Stap aureus is a common skin bacteria that can cause infections. This usually does the trick, however with increased resistant organisms developing, sometimes other antibiotics are necessary to cover infections.... more

A: It can work if suture infection or stitch abcess is involved

Scott E. Kasden, MD
By Scott E. Kasden, MD - Dallas Plastic Surgeon

If the redness you are experiencing is due to a stitch abcess (the suture got a superficial infection), then removal of the suture with the antibiotic should be fine.  If you truly have an infected implant (in other words the infection is deep), then the antibiotic won't help.  You need to be sure to... more

A: If a breast implant is really infected, it usually needs to be removed

George J. Beraka, MD
By George J. Beraka, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

To Tammy lynn, Hi. One possibility is to treat you with intravenous antibiotics, which is more aggressive, but I don't necessarily recommend this because it may not make a difference. Hopefully, your left implant is not infected. If it is infected, the redness and soreness will get worse and you will develop... more

A: Slight redness may not mean an implant infection

Francisco Canales, MD
By Francisco Canales, MD - Sonoma Valley Plastic Surgeon

It is early in your course and you should not be discouraged, as having minor redness can happen around the incision or even on the breast itself.  For those purposes, Cephalexin should do fine for minor redness or skin related cellulitis.  However, if there is a deep seated infection around the... more

A: With Implants in place, several variables exist

Armando Soto, MD
By Armando Soto, MD - Orlando Plastic Surgeon

It sounds like your surgeon is being appropriately cautious, and anything that might be going on is a relatively minor problem, or you would be experiencing more remarkable symptoms. In other words, when implants get infected, because they don't have an immune system or their own blood flow, the infection... more

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