Risks from Breast Augmentation for Diabetics?

Hello!  Thank you for your question!  There are a few medical comorbidities that contribute to a higher risk during any surgical procedure including infections, wound complications, delayed wound healing, bleeding, anesthetic risks, etc.  Diabetes is one that is known to have an increased risk for infections and wound healing issues. There are a number of both systemic and local host factors that can contribute to infections.  Whether or not diabetics are truly at greater risk and the magnitude of the effect of diabetes on the risk of infection remain controversial.  However, there is a known increased propensity to develop infections and delayed healing.  Some of the hyperglycemia-related impairments on the immune response include vascular insufficiency, sensory peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy,  and skin and mucosal colonization with pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Candida species.  That being said, well-controlled diabetes should equate a minimal increased risk for the above and surgical procedures still safe and a reasonable decision.  You should ensure adequate glucose control always, but also obtain medical clearance from your primary care physician that you are at an acceptable risk for undergoing a surgical procedure.  Laboratory results such as HgbA1C is a good measure of control.  Discuss all of your medical comorbidities and medication with your surgeon prior and discuss these risks.  This procedure should still be very safe for you and hope for an uncomplicated course with an excellent result!  Hope that this helps!  Best wishes!  

Diabetics are known to be at increased risk of complications and wound healing issues.  Having said that, if your blood sugar is in good control, (we are usually guided by your HbA1C blood test), your risk of untoward events is low.  We usually would check with your regular doctor to make sure that you are a good candidate for surgery. 

The risks are comparable to any other individual of a similar age with possibly and increased, but unquantifiable risk of infection and possible diminished sensitivity as well as peri-operative difficulties in managing blood sugars.

As long as your sugars are well controlled, you should be fine for surgery.  Although, having diabetes does put you at a slightly higher risk for wound healing problems.  Make sure your endocrinologist or primary care physician is also aware of this and clears you before your surgery.  Good luck!

Thank you for the question.Well controlled diabetes is not a contraindication to breast augmentation and/or other elective plastic surgical procedures. Always best to check with your primary care physician or endocrinologist for “medical clearance” prior to surgery.  Managing your diabetic medications around the time of surgery (to avoid hypo as well as hyperglycemia), while you will have altered oral intake, will be important.Best wishes.

Although diabetics are at a higher risk for wound healing as well as neuropathies, kidney disease, and eye disease, that risk is much less when the blood sugar is within the normal ranges. Most plastic surgeons place their patients on antibiotics routinely for breast augmentation surgery. Discuss this with your plastic surgeon so that he is aware of your diabetes and also discuss the pending surgery with your endocrinologist. Sometimes they will alter your medication regimen in the perioperative period.

As a diabetic your risks for infection and anesthesia are generally slightly higher than non diabetice. You should have a thorough evaluation by you internal medicine doctor with special attention to the heart. Many diabetics can have silent heart disease. Otherwise your risk increase if minimal.

Hello
We have done breast implants successfully on insulin-dependent diabetics. They do not appear to have any additional problems related to their diabetes. However, there are risks to anesthesia and also risks of infection that are likely higher in a diabetic. Make sure you have medical clearance from your diabetes doctor and make sure the anesthesiologist is aware of your diabetes ahead of time.

It all depends on your general health. To be safe, I would suggest you have a recent through examination to eliminate any other potential risk factors.
If your diabetes is well controlled and you have no other health issues, the fact that you have diabetes should NOT impact how you would do with a breast augmentation.
Good Luck.

Diabetics generally have suppressed immune systems and less ability to heal wounds than non-diabetics, especially if the diabetes is not controlled. I am not aware of any specific studies that compared complication, infection and wound healing rates of diabetics and non-diabetics for this operation. I counsel all my patients to have their diabetes well controlled prior to undergoing any cosmetic surgery.