Can you have a tissue expander removed before the surgeon begin filling the expander?

Hi and thank you for the question. You can choose to have your expanders removed at any time if you decide that you no longer want to have implant based breast reconstruction.  If you like the initial volume your surgeon put in the expanders at the time of surgery and you just don't feel like you need to do any further fillings then you can have your expanders removed and have similar sized implants placed. It might help to clarify your goals so we can better answer your question. Best of luck to you. 
Dr West

Hello and thanks for posting your question.I'm not sure the origin of your question, but briefly:Tissue expanders are typically placed at the time of mastectomy to "begin" the process of breast reconstruction. They hold space and can be expanded to increase space needed for replacement with more permanent breast implants. The tissue expanders typically remain in place for 2-3 months after they have been filled to the goal volume and are then removed and replaced with silicone implants of a similar size.I would highly recommend discussing your specific questions with your plastic surgeon and wish you the best of luck.