What happens if you get sick with a cough or cold before surgery?

It’s not unusual for pre-operative breast augmentationpatients to develop cough and cold symptoms during the winter months of theyear. When this situation arises,patients should be carefully evaluated by both their plastic surgeon andanesthesiologist.Whencolds are minor, it’s probably reasonable to proceed with breast augmentationsurgery.Colds and coughs that areassociated with elevated temperatures, sputum production, signs of influenza,wheezing and signs of generalized illness should result in cancellation of theprocedure. Underthese circumstances, illnesses can progress and significantly complicate thepost-operative course.In some cases,secondary complications such as pneumonia, infection, bleeding and hematomacould result.In addition, a chroniccough can create significant discomfort in the post-operative period. Forthese reasons, it’s occasionally necessary to cancel breast augmentationprocedures and re-schedule at a later date.It’s important to remember that safety should always be everyone’s firstpriority.

Hi, thank you for asking such an important question. 
Most out-patient surgeries are considered elective, which means that they should be done when the patient is optimized and healthy enough to undergo invasive surgery. If you are under the weather or think you may be getting sick, it will be in your best interest to postpone surgery. Having a cold or cough can impact how your body will respond to anesthesia and depending on the severity of the illness, there is a chance it could affect the operation itself or how you heal afterwards. 
Most surgeons will reschedule the operation without charging you an additional fee. You should notify your surgeon at the earliest sign of feeling ill. 

If you get sick with a cough or cold before surgery, it's important to inform your surgeon as soon as possible. Your surgery might need to be postponed. If you're experiencing more significant symptoms such as fever, severe coughing, or respiratory distress, it could be unsafe to proceed with surgery.
The main concerns with being sick before surgery are the potential complications with anesthesia and healing. A respiratory infection can make anesthesia more risky and can lead to post-operative complications, including infections or pneumonia. Coughing after surgery can also be very uncomfortable and interfere with healing.
It’s always best to discuss your symptoms with your surgeon, who will consult with the anesthesiologist to determine whether it's safe to proceed. If in doubt, it's often better to postpone the surgery to ensure your safety and optimal recovery.
Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHSHarvard, Hopkins, & Mayo Clinic Trained Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonNew York, New York

If you get a cough or cold before surgery, it's essential to inform your surgeon. The impact on your surgery depends on the severity of your symptoms and the type of surgery planned. Mild colds may not require postponement, but significant respiratory symptoms, fever, or a severe cough can lead to surgery being rescheduled. This precaution is to avoid complications during anesthesia and to ensure your optimal recovery. Always consult your surgeon with any health changes prior to surgery to determine the best course of action.

I agree with most of the comments from other doctors.

You want to be at your optimal health during the time of surgery. People generally recover well after breast surgery, but you don't want to have to deal with recovering from surgery and a cold. This is especially true if the cough is from an underlying infection. Your surgeon should be able to reschedule if needed.

Safety should be the prime concern. IF you are feeling unwell before surgery, get in touch with your surgeon or hospital to inform them of your health condition. Breast augmentation surgery is an elective cosmetic procedure and should be done in a safe way. If there are any concerns , it should be reschedules so that it can be done safety at a later date.

If you feel sick before your surgery, I suggest that you discuss it with your surgeon as it may be best to reschedule your surgery. The surgeon will talk to the anesthesiologist to determine if it is safe for you to undergo a surgery or if it's better to wait until you feel well.

Usually, you will need to be assessed by your plastic surgeon and anaesthesiologist to understand if your condition is serious enough to warrant cancellation or whether to postpone your surgery. Obviously, different coughs indicate different things and a light cough might not be a big enough reason to cancel your surgery. However, coughing after surgery might complicate things so your surgeon and anaesthesiologist will have to make this decision before surgery.

It is always best to be healthy when having elective surgery. A respiratory infection could become a pneumonia after general anesthesia. In addition, a bacterial infection could seed the implants causing them to become infected. If you are scheduled to have a surgery soon and you are concerned that you are coming down with a cold or the flu, you should call your Plastic Surgeon's office to discuss your symptoms so you can come up with a plan of action in conjunction with them. 

There are two main issues with going through with surgery while ill with an upper respiratory or a number of other infectious processes.
First, life-threatening complications such as cardiac events and more serious lung infections will  certainly happen at greater rates. Secondly, you can "seed" the operative site, in cases of bacterial infection, resulting in wound site problems and in cases where implants are used, the need to remove them.
The safest thing is to wait until you are completely healthy.

Thank you for your question. Although we always hope that patient's are in their best condition on the day of surgery, in some cases it is normal for a flu or cold to develop depending on seasons or your immune system. As long as your health is not critical then you are fine for surgery. A minor cold or cough should not affect anything. It is important for you to inform your surgeon of any symptoms that you may have. I hope this information helps.