Can Heart Transplant Patients Get Breast Implants?

Question

I take immunosuppresant medication and have previously had a heart transplant. Is it unsafe for me to get breast implants?

Joseph L. Grzeskiewicz, MD, FACS · Answer

This is a very challenging question, and honestly, to me it is the type of question that makes my profession riveting. On the most conservative side one would say that the heart is your biggest priority, and you should leave well enough alone. Those with that opinion would tell you certainly don't get the breast augmentation. On the other end of the spectrum you might hear, "no problem, breast augmentation is a safe operation, and we do them all the time. Get the breast augmentation without worrying about it." I think somewhere in the middle lies the answer, and there is no black or white answer that can be found in a textbook, and it is an answer that must be derived collaboratively between you, your cardiologist, your transplant surgeon, your plastic surgeon, and anyone else whose opinion you value most in your life - spouse, other family, close friends, etc. In medicine, we are not risk eliminators; everything we do carries some risk, and there will never be any way that we can totally eliminate risk from the things that we do. Thus, our job then becomes that of risk managers, and our decisions become about identifying and managing risks and risk:benefit ratios. Regarding the benefit side of that equation, once you get complete information about this operation, it will be more up to you to define what the benefit will be for you than anyone else. Physicians can advise you about potential risks (and remember, we don't have crystal balls, we can only rely on experience and skill), and your significant others can give you input on the impact of your decisions on their lives should anything go wrong, but in the end, you will have to take all of this information in yourself and arrive at a decision that works best for you. Of course this is all predicated on your good health, stable immune function, and stable cardiopulmonary status. If there is any problem with any of those things then naturally, elective aesthetic surgery like this is contraindicated. On the other hand, if you are doing well, you have the support of your cardiac team, and you have an experienced plastic surgeon who can work collaboratively with you and your other doctors, I think it is perfectly reasonable to consider doing this. You know the main risks involved here, I'm sure, and if you don't they should be outlined clearly for you by the end of this process before you ever sign a consent form. I won't go into an exhaustive list of those here, I simply wanted to offer some perspective on the decision-making process that you will face if you consider this. In the end, you decided at one point that it was important for you to undergo an operation in which they exchanged your heart with that of another person. You saw the benefit there, that is easy. While I NEVER in a million years would equate the critical nature of cardiac transplantation with having some breast implants put in, I do want to acknowledge that you understand the concept of risk:benefit when it comes to surgery, and as I said above, with proper preoperative education, only you can make this decision for yourself.

Damian Marucci, MBBS, PhD, FRACS · Answer

Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, I think that breast implant surgery is probably not advisable given that you are immunosuppressed. Immunosuppression increases your risk of serious complications such as infection or exposure of the implant. I don't think it is worth the risk to your health, especially considering how well you have done following your transplant.

W. Tracy Hankins, MD · Answer

Hi karlystem, This is a question that can only be answered by the doctors involved in your care. While most plastic surgeons would be extremely cautious and would probably discourage you form pursuing this elective operation, it depends on your health and the doctors who know you best, like your transplant team and cardiologist. While I have never personally performed a breast augmentation on a heart transplant patient, I have a close relative who has a heart transplant and had breast implants afterwards. She has been very fortunate and is doing well with her new heart. I wish you all the best.

Can Heart Transplant Patients Get Breast Implants?

Answers (3)

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