Breast reduction - what is the risk of dying under anesthesia?

Question

I am booked for breast reduction and stomach lipo next week and my bmi is 40 i am scared of dying under anaesthetic is it hugely more risky?

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear ktk78,
as long as you are healthy and get clearance from your doctor you can be a candidate for surgery. You need to get your BMI under 30 in order to be a good candidate for surgery. If you are considering surgery, I would suggest you consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination, you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Aftab Siddiqui, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Anytime you have surgery, there is a risk of complications. The most serious complication from any surgery is death. The risk of dying from a breast reduction surgery is very low. The estimated risk of dying from this surgery is about 1 in 50,000. This means that out of every 50,000 women who have this surgery, 1 will die from complications related to the surgery.
There are many factors that can affect the risk of complications from surgery. Some of these factors include the health of the patient, the type of surgery being performed, and the experience of the surgeon.
It is important to discuss all of these factors with your surgeon before having any type of surgery.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

At a BMI of 40 you are at a higher risk of complications from surgery.    I encourage you to speak with your surgeon about your concerns and explain risks.  Lowering your BMI would help improve your risk category as well as giving your surgeon a better opportunity to maximize your results from liposuction.

Reza Alamouti, MD, FRCS · Answer

HelloThank you for the question, you should discuss the surgical and Anaesthetic risks with the team beforehand. Generally the chance of complications after surgery is higher with bmi above 32.I advise you to lose weight before going ahead as your results will be more aesthetically pleasing.

Karthik Ram, MRCS, DNB · Answer

Hello there, 
Kindly get yourself examined by an anesthesiologist so that you can have the risks explained to you. 
Hope this helps.

Scott C. Lindsay, DO · Answer

Thanks for your question! Your risk is extremely low as long as you have no extenuating circumstances or underlying conditions. I’m sure your surgeon has taken all the necessary precautions to ensure your safety. Good luck!

Breast reduction - what is the risk of dying under anesthesia?

Answers (6)

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