Will Vaccinations Near Breast Augmentation Surgery Date Cause Complication?

Question

I'm considering getting the following vaccines, but the vaccination date may be very close to the breast augmentation surgery date (either a few days before or after surgery). Will these vaccinations affect breast augmentation surgery result or cause complications (capsular contracture, infections, etc.)? I asked this because I've read that dental cleaning may cause capsular contracture, so I'm wondering whether vaccines may cause breast implant complication too, if vaccines are injected very close to breast surgery date? Vaccines I'm considering:

	
		H1N1 vaccine
	
		Pneumococcal vaccine
	
		HPV vaccine
	
		Hepatitis A vaccine


	Thanks in advance for your answer!

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Any injecttion, paricularly vaccinations, may cause transient and brief introduction of bacteria into the bloodstream, Occasionally this can result in a flu like syndrome which can increase the risk of a bacteremia. As stated, there are no studies that have linked this to capsular contracture of breast implants but it raises some concerns and may better be delayed if possible.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

I know of no studies discussing any association of problems of implants with vaccinations. However, some of them can give you flu like symptoms and it may be better to avoid until a few weeks after surgery until you get your strength back

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

Breast and joint Implant infections could be caused by a temporary presence of bacteria in the blood (bacteremia). All the vaccinations you cited are extracts of dead viruses (H1N1, HPV, Hepatitis A) and 23 dead bacteria (Pneumococcal vaccine). There is NO WAY that either of these vaccine could conceptually or factually infect your breast implants.

Kenneth R. Francis, MD, FACS · Answer

Rita,
It's good to hear that you are proactively in a preventive health maintenance mode, i.e. taking care of yourself.  However, there is a big difference between dental cleaning and vaccination.  All of the vaccines that you are contemplating are viral vaccines except the Pneumococcus.  And, all of the vaccines are made of damaged or killed virus (or bacteria) particles.  These dead viral particles cause your body to produce antibodies that will then kill any live virus that you may come into contact with later.  Dental cleaning releases live bacteria into the bloodstream, which may attach to and infect foreign bodies that they come into contact with, such as heart valves.  It is for this reason that antibiotics are given to patients with heart valves when they have dental work.  Even though breast implants are foreign bodies, they are unlikely to become infected during dental procedures because they are not in contact with the bloodstream.  The hypothesis is that bacteria in the bloodstream could some how leave the blood and enter the implant.  This hypothesis has never been proven.  It is highly unlikely that a vaccine would have any effect on breast augmentation surgery specifically or the formation of capsules.  Since any surgery can soften your immune system, the vaccines may be less effective, or your chances of side effects (muscle ache, malaise, fatigue) may be greater.  Discuss these issues with your internist or have him/her refer you to an infectious disease specialist for more information.  Good luck!

Peter E. Johnson, MD · Answer

I asked our infection control department about the impact of vaccination on breast augmentation surgery and there is no 'hard' information on this procedure specifically. I did learn that currently the H1N1 is given to all hospitalized patients at our hospital, including those after surgery. Vaccination is a priority for our patients with chronic conditions and respiratory disease, and pregnant women are also first on the list. There is no reason I could come across to suggest that you should turn down the opportunity for vaccination. Dental cleaning circulates live bacteria in your system,  a different issue altogether, best to avoid.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

John P. Stratis, MD · Answer

Your best bet is to call an infectious disease doctor's office to determine if there are any surgical implications to having these vaccinations. Although I cannot site any studies surgery itself may knock down your immune system and I would be concerned with how the vaccines would work under those conditions. When in doubt I have my patients wait about 3 weeks between vaccinations and surgery, either before or after.

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