Numbness After Breast Implant Exchange

Hello! Thank you for your question! Numbness after any surgical
procedure is expected for several weeks to months following. As the
nerves to the area are traumatized and will then experience a temporary
neuropraxia, a transient loss of nerve conduction. This usually
resolves over the next 6-12 weeks, but depending on the procedure
performed, sometimes much longer. Typically this should resolve by 1
year. As it goes past this date, the likelihood of the sensation
returning is small. However, it can take up to 2 years. If no return
from there, it is unlikely to return. It should be discussed that
persistent sensory changes may develop following any surgical
procedure. The usual signs of the nerves regenerating and neuropraxia
resolving is itching, followed by a burning sensation and then
occasional sharp, shock-like pains. These will be normal to experience,
and actually a promising sign. Usually, normal sensation returns, but
is is also possible to have decreased sensation or even increased
sensation to the areas affected. Re-educating nerves postoperatively is
often helpful and will allow proper instruction for the affected
sensory nerves - methods include using different textures to the
affected areas when showering, bathing, applying lotion, etc. If
bothersome, there are some medications that may be helpful, including
Neurontin for pain for hypersensitivity. You can try various textures
such as washcloths, loofahs, cotton sheets, etc. Massaging the areas is
also beneficial for the incision to make the finest scar possible. The
last place to regain the sensation will be directly adjacent to the
incision/scar as the nerves will make its way from the periphery to this
location. If continual pain arises, evaluation is warranted. After
ruling out other causes, one rare explanation may be that a neuroma has
developed and may require surgical excision. This is very unlikely
unless a large sensory nerve has been transected inadvertently during
the procedure. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

Good day! For your guidance, numbness, tingling, burning or shooting pains indicate regeneration of the sensory nerves. These sensations will disappear with time and should not alarm you, but if they cause repeated pain, do not hesitate to contact your surgeon about this and discuss any other additional aftercare you need for best results. Best of luck! #RealSelf100

Although removal and
replacement of breast implants is a relatively safe operative procedure,
occasionally complications can occur.Loss of sensation is a recognized complication of breast augmentation
and can occur in about 5% of patients.Loss of sensation may involve the breast skin or in more serious cases,
the actual nipple areola complex.In the
vast majority of cases, it’s a transient phenomena that resolves with time but
in some cases it may be permanent.The problem seems to occur more frequently when larger
implants are used.This tends to stretch
the nerves and compress them as well resulting in loss of sensation.It’s important that you discuss this issue
thoroughly with your plastic surgeon.Although
relatively rare, there’s no question that loss of nipple areola sensation can
potentially occur with this procedure.

The nerves to your breast get stretched during capsulectomy and implant replacement.  They are not severed so sensibility should return with time.  It may take as long as 6 months so be patient.

Capsulectomy is a procedure wherein the entire capsule is removed from the breast.  It does not seem like you had a simple implant exchange.  Depending on the severity of your condition and whether or not the nerves where encountered during the capsule removal, it may take up to 6 months to determine whether you will regain sensation. 

Loss of sensation after major breast surgery can happen, albeit infrequently. The good news is that most of the time, loss of sensation to the nipple is temporary and usually due to swelling from surgery. Give it some time to recover before you get defeated.

Hi,
Given your significant capsular contracture, your surgeon undoubtedly had to remove a thick layer of capsule from the undersurface of the skin. This can be a relatively tedious dissection and there often times there is thermal injury to the sensory nerves to the breast skin and nipple from the electrocautery used during surgery.
Nerve recovery usually occurs in the weeks and months after surgery. Recovery may be patchy or may be complete - it's impossible to know. Unfortunately, there's really nothing you can do to hasten the recovery and to improve the long term outcome.
Best of luck.

It sounds like you had very significant contractures which required extensive surgery to remove the scar tissues. Undoubtedly, the sensation nerves were entrapped in the scar tissue and were likely severed during the resection. This is not a "complication" per se, because the whole reason for the surgery was removal of the contracted tissue which involved the nerves. Fortunately, the little nerve endings continue to grow and, over time, you should get return of some sensation. However, only time will tell. Good luck.

Numbness is a normal side effect of breast surgery and is common after any type of surgery. The extent of numbness varies from patient to patient, but here's some information about numbness after different types of breast surgery: Breast augmentationSome loss of sensation is common after breast augmentation surgery, but most patients regain feeling within a few months. Only about 2% of patients experience persistent numbness. The size of the implant compared to the chest diameter can affect the likelihood of numbness, with larger implants increasing the risk of nerve damage. MastectomyUp to 60% of patients experience persistent breast numbness after a mastectomy. This can be associated with decreased sexual function, quality of life, and increased risk of thermal injury. Breast reconstructionMany patients experience some numbness and tingling after breast reconstruction surgery, along with a pins and needles sensation in the chest, shoulder, and upper arm. Nerves grow at a rate of 1-2 millimeters per month, and sensation may continue to improve up to two years after surgery

Thank you for your post. In general, most women who have a disturbance in nipple sensation, whether it be less (hypo-sensation), or in some cases too much (hyper-sensation), the sensation goes back to normal with 3-6 months. Occasionally, it can take 1 - 2 years to be normal. Extremely rare, the sensation never goes back to normal. This is extremely rare in augmentation alone, more common in lift or reduction but less with a smaller lift like a crescent lift. Signs that sensation is coming back are needle type sensation at the nipple, itchiness at the nipple, or 'zingers' to the nipple. The number of women that lose sensation is much lower than 10%, closer to 1% in a simple augmentation. In some cases the same occurs with contraction where some women have no contraction and some women have a constant contraction of the nipples. Unfortunately there is no surgical correction for this. Massaging the area can help sensation normalize faster if it is going to normalize, but will not help if the nerve does not recover. In women with hyper-sensitive nipples, this will go away with time in most cases. Usually 3 months or so. In the interim, I have them wear nipple covers or 'pasties' to protect them from rubbing. It is unlikely that down-sizing the implant will cause regaining sensation. Down-sizing the implant may cause saggy breasts, however, and may necessitate a breast lift. Physical therapy with de-sensitivity techniques can help with this issue. The Peri-areolar incision is associated with increased risk of nipple numbness due to the fact that the nerve is in close proximity.Best Wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD