Can I Get Breast Augmentation if I Am on Remicade? What if I Come of It Temporarily?

    Remicade, if discontinued prior to breast augmentation and with the recommendation of your doctor managing your Crohn's disease, may not present an obstacle to wound healing after breast augmentation.  You will also need to be off of the Remicade for several weeks after the breast augmentation.  Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Thank you for the question.

You are wise in being concerned about the use of Remicade around the time of surgery. As you probably know, Remicade is a medication used to treat autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Its mechanism of action is that it blocks the action of tumor necrosis factor–alpha,  a substance in the body that causes inflammation. The medication may increase your chances of infection.

Since  Remicade is not a medication commonly used by plastic surgeons, I would suggest that you  have your gastrointestinal physician communicate with your plastic surgeon in regards to optimal timing of the breast augmentation surgery in relation to infusion of the Remicade.

 

Best wishes.

Remicade is used for crohn's disease as an anti-inflammatory and may imapct wound healing. It is best to ask your crohn's specialist.

Remicade is quite long lasting.  How to manage its use around the time of elective surgery is best discussed with your rheumatologist. 

The protocol I am aware of calls for scheduling elective surgery about six weeks after a dose of remicade, with the plan of resuming on schedule two weeks after surgery unless there is any question of infectious complications, which are quite uncommon with breast augmentation. In that case, reevaluation in two more weeks is suggested.

Thanks for your question. Make sure also that your surgeon is on board with this plan, otherwise think about a second opinion. All the best.