Age 79, is it possible to get a breast reduction if I have a pacemaker?

Having a pacemaker is not a concern or a problem with breast reduction surgery. It is important to have Cardiology consultation for surgery and definitely let your surgeon know about the pacemaker. Best of luck to you

Thank you for submitting your question! You can absolutely still have a breast reduction procedure done. We require a cardiac clearance from your cardiologist but if you're able to provide us with that then we would be able to move forward with scheduling a breast reduction for you. I would recommend consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon like myself so we can create a surgical plan that is best for you and your goals!

Dear Inventive228111,
it is hard to tell for sure without an examination. You will need to get a clearance from your cardiologist prior to 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, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thanks for your question! It is possible as long as you have medical clearance. Your surgery should absolutely be performed in a hospital setting. Good luck!

You should be able to have a breast reduction with a pacemaker in place. Imaging of the area should help determine where the device and wires are located but nonetheless, the surgery should be nowhere near that area. The pacemaker should not have a defibrillator function or it can be triggered by cautery and may need to be deactivated during surgery.

If there are no other health history contraindications, you can have surgery while having a pacemaker placed. Patients with pacemakers have surgery often. There should always be a conversation between the cardiologist and plastic surgeon prior to surgery to ensure cardiac clearance and protocol for pacemaker on the day of surgery. Good luck on your breast reduction journey.

First, you need to get cardiac clearance for a 4 hour operation under general anesthesia. Second, the surgeon will need to know where the pacemaker is placed. If it is involved in the area adjacent to your breast surgery then that may be an issue as well. However, age by itself, is not a contra-indication to breast reduction surgery.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

You may still be a candidate for a breast reduction even though you have a pacemaker. Speak with your cardiologist about your interest in the procedure. If given clearance you can then meet with a board certified plastic surgeon to learn more. I've included a video about breast reductions and age that I hope you find helpful.

Thanks for your question. I did a breast reduction for an 80 year old just earlier this year. she did not have a pacemaker but she did have other cardiac problems and we liaised with her cardiologist about this and also I work with an excellent anaesthetist. The op was successful and no complications or heart trouble.

The main thing with PMs and surgery is that some of them may not be compatible with electrocautery and/or need to be deactivated with a magnet temporarily during surgery - we use electrocautery to cut tissue and seal blood vessels in surgery......so you would need to show your surgeon / clinic / hospital the details of the pacemaker in order to safely determine this....even better, ask your cardiologist or neurophysiologist to write to your surgeon about your heart condition.

If your cardiologist clears you for elective surgery, then you can do such. I have done several ladies older than you and a few had pacemakers. You will need to ask for a magnet to be used during surgery to protect the pacemaker.