I still have muscle spasms after breast reconstruction. How can I stop these from happening?

In patients that have severe spasms, it is possible to transect or cut the nerve to the latissimus muscle. This will cause all spasms to stop. The down side to this procedure is the muscle becomes thinner, called atrophy) which can alter the cosmetic result of your reconstruction. When atrophy occurs, women can become frustrated with contour irregularities of their breast they never had before.

There are a number of factors to consider when dealing with persistent spasms after latissimus dorsi muscle reconstruction.  First, is it the pectoralis muscle that is causing the spasm, or the latissimus muscle?  In other words, is it the chest muscle or the back muscle that is the culprit?  If it is the back muscle, than a surgical procedure to cut the nerve to the muscle may be beneficial.  Non surgical options can also help - specifically, physical therapy, exercise, and weight loss.  Good luck!

Sorry to hear about your issue with muscle spasms.  Generally, when we perform latissimus flap breast reconstruction, we will try to denervate the muscle by dividing the nerve to the latissimus muscle.  This helps to prevent animation and muscle spasm in the reconstructed breast.  If the muscle spasm you are experiencing is in your breast where the latissimus muscle has been relocated to, it might be best to consult with your plastic surgeon and inquire about a surgery to find the nerve to the muscle and divide it.