Can breast explant surgery cause nerve damage in your hand or carpal tunnel?

Question

I had breast explant surgery to remove ruptured implants and didnt replace them. 4 weeks later I woke in the middle of the night with both hands numb and severe pain. I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel but my middle finger on my right hand is completely numb and is on the side that the implants were most ruptured.

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

hello cylcoI do not this your explant can cause can cause carpal tunnel, you should visit or contact your plastic surgeon about this concern. #rupture #numb

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

It is unlikely that the implant removal would cause the issues you are experiencing.  I encourage you to discuss the details of your surgery with your surgeon to determine if any implant material had migrated outside of the capsule and to see if anything untoward happened during your surgery with regard to positioning.  Best wishes.

Joel M. Stewart, Jr., MD · Answer

Unlikely. Your surgery may have revealed underlying carpal tunnel because of positioning in the operating room. It is unlikely that it "caused" your carpal tunnel as that generally develops over time.

Jeanette Padgett, MD, FACS · Answer

It is unlikely that breast implant removal caused your carpal tunnel.  If you had prolonged swelling after surgery, the swelling might exasperate any symptoms you had.  Discuss your concerns with your plastic surgeon.  Best wishes for  swift recovery.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

I am sorry to hear about the problem you are experiencing.  Online consultants will not be good resource for you when it comes to helping you with causation concerns (potential causes of the carpal tunnel syndrome).  Good medicine would dictate a complete history, physical examination, and probable nerve conduction studies to be accurate/helpful. Online consultants assuming that the breast implant rupture and/or previous operation has anything to do with the carpal tunnel syndrome would be inappropriate, in my opinion. My best advice: seek consultation with the board certified hand surgeons in your area.   These doctors, after appropriate workup (discussed above) will be able to help you with accurate diagnosis, likely causation, and treatment options. Best wishes.

Can breast explant surgery cause nerve damage in your hand or carpal tunnel?

Answers (5)