How Long Do I Let an Infection Try to Clear on Its Own, Before Knowing It is the Implant?

asked 11 months ago by cwn22
Latest answer by Bruce Genter, MD
Question viewed 124 times
Tags: complication, infection, revision

I had nipple recontruction using my own skin after a bilateral mastectomy.One side tookthe skin graph fine the other never worked and it got infected. My surgeon removed the skin and my breast is red, swollen and painful and now has a wound about a size of quarter that is yellowish in color. I have taken antibiotics for 2 weeks and there has been no change. How do I know if this is the implant? How long do I continue this treatment before removing the implant?

1 answer to How Long Do I Let an Infection Try to Clear on Its Own, Before Knowing It is the Implant?

Infection of breast implants after nipple reconstruction

It is very difficult to answer your question without examining you. Usually, a nipple reconstruction is done in the skin layer and does not involve the implant. With that said, any infection can put the implant at risk. The yellowish color could represent infected tissue, tissue with poor blood supply, or an exposed area of Alloderm if it was used in your breast reconstruction. You need to contact your plastic surgeon as soon as possible.

Bruce Genter, MD
Abington Plastic Surgeon

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How Long Do I Let an Infection Try to Clear on Its Own, Before Knowing It is the Implant?

Infection of breast implants after nipple reconstruction

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