Pain After Implant Removal

Question

i removed my breast implants 7 wks ago via fold incision. did not replace. no lift. they were under muscle. I have dull achy pain. When I reach or stretch my arms i feel a pull and tight/pain in upper breast area. Not sure if this is the actual breast or pec muscle pulling. Is this scar tissue? My PS seems to think so. Also have shoulder pain and shoulder blade pain on one side. Is all this normal 7 wks out? Will all this resolve itself? Should i do PT? If this is scar tissue will it eventually soften and stop pulling? I am concerned i will have this pain/pull permanently.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Many patients report the recovery and healing is much more easier than the original breast augmentation procedure. Your pain should be manageable. However, in this case, it is best to consult with your doctor and see them for an #evaluation. You may benefit from something as simple as self-massage. But, the sooner you see your doctor, the better to assure you are not experiencing an infection or anything else that can impact your healing and final results.  At any time during your post-op #healing you have any concerns, do not hesitate to contact your doctors to further inquire.

Richard J. Bruneteau, MD · Answer

Your history suggests that
you’ve had a relative complex capsulectomy procedure and are now suffering from
significant pain.Pain of this magnitude
three weeks following this type of procedure would be considered unusual.It’s also noteworthy that you had significant
bleeding in the post-operative period and now have an area of hardness in the
lateral breast.It’s virtually impossible to determine the source of your
post-operative pain without a physical examination.For this reason, it’s appropriate to consult
your plastic surgeon.Under these
circumstances, I’m concerned that you might have an encapsulated hematoma.Unfortunately, without a physical examination,
it’s virtually impossible to say for sure.A variety of problems could cause your pain and for this reason, you
should be evaluated by your plastic surgeon.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

In general, I would expect that this tightness and pulling will resolve. However, I have seen it take 6-9 months for the scar tissue to improve. External massage and range of motion exercises under the supervision of a PT may be beneficail

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Most likely the pain you are experiencing is from post-operative changes and scarring. It may take a while for this to resolve( on the order of several months).  Follow closely with your doctor.

Samir Shureih, MD · Answer

I think your Plastic suirgeon is right, there is still some swellig and scarring.

	it is normal to have some pain , pull and stiffness.

	Continue working with your plastic surgeon. you trusted him/her for the surgery, trust him/her after the surgery

Pain After Implant Removal

Answers (5)