Will Moderate Lymphodema Jeopardise Lipo or Mini Tummy Tuck?

Jay-Jay, Before doing anything have a consultation with a local board certified plastic surgeon and a discussion with your breast/general surgeon. The presence of lymphedema in your arm will not affect the ability to perform abdominal liposuction or a tummy tuck and vice versa. However, the fact that you needed a lymph node dissection for the breast cancer may have some bearing on your chances of breast cancer recurrence, or an occurence in your other breast. It used to be said that... more

As already stated, I think other than the usual swelling all patients have after surgery, you will be fine.  Lymphatic massage after surgery and a compression garment (if you ever wore one) may behelpful during recovery if your arm swells. 

 Where is your lymphodema?  In your arms?  In her abdomen?  If it is in the areas to be operating on, it may lead to healing difficulties.  However, if you are just having liposuction, it should be fine.  However, you should discuss all this with your doctors prior to surgery.

As long as you have not had any TRAM Flap procedures or regional radiation therapy. lymphedema of the arm following breast cancer treatment should not interfere with abdominal liposuction or mini-tummy tuck procedures.

Hi. Your arm problem is strictly a local issue caused by previous surgery, and does not affect your general health or ability to have cosmetic surgery at all.

Dear Jay-Jay, 2 key questions to consider; First, WHERE is the lymphedema (arm(s), or lower abdomen)? and What is the status of your breast cancer and opposite breast? If the abdomen is NOT involved by the lymphedema, I would still not rush in and do liposuction or a tummy tuck UNLESS I was certain that this area will never need to be used to reconstruct one of your breasts. Doing these procedures will effectively remove tissue which could potentially be very useful in breast reconstruction... more

 The lymphedema that you developed in your arm as a result of breast cancer surgery should in now way affect liposuction of your abdomen or your tummy tuck.

Dear Jay Jay Typically, a lymph node dissection is performed with many types of breast cancer surgery to facilitate staging of the cancer. The number of lymph node that are positive or negative for containing breast cancer relate to the long term prognosis. The removal and disruption of the lymphatic drainage system that occurs with the removal to the lymph nodes accounts for the lymphedema. This can eventually resolve but can also persist in a certain percentage of individuals. While there... more