Ripping of Breast Tissue Normal After Breast Augmentation?

Question

Help...    I had breast implants placed above the muscle and place through under my boob. About an hour after I was in recovery, when I got out of my bed I felt a EXTREME PAINFUL rip or tear in my upper and inner cleavage area in my right boob. I told the nurse something just ripped and how painful it was. When I saw my doctor the next day I told him and he said everything was fine.
My body is telling me something is wrong, something happened right out of surgery that I felt this horrible extreme ripping. Can someone tell me if this is normal or do I need my tissue internally stitched back together or whatever it maybe that ripped? I feel the pressure of it pulling when I lay down as I believe it is possibly torn breast tissue? Will it get worse if I don't get it repaired?
I feel I shoud have be rushed back into the O.R and had it fixed right away since I just got out of surgery... Please send advice.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

While I understand and "feel" your anxiety, to some degree, you have to trust your surgeon's skills. There are few things that you can "rip" above the muscle. If you do not believe in your surgeon's assesment, you can go to a freestanding MRI facility and pay for a scan which will run around $500.

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Since your doctor saw you and said that everything was OK, you probably had normal post-op pain when you felt the pull. This really could be from so many different things, but it sounds like normal initial post-op pain that should get better with time

John P. Di Saia, MD · Answer

Hello,
If your surgeon has examined you and figures that things are OK, then you have two choices:
(1) Trust him.
(2) Get another opinion. See another surgeon for an examination to inquire into the potential for a problem.
From what you write alone, it is impossible to figure out if there is a problem or not.

George J. Beraka, MD (retired) · Answer

Hi.
About the only thing that requires immediate surgery after breast implants is a hematoma, which causes one breast to become large, hard , and painful. You dont have that.  If your breasts look fine, pain will probably go away.
If not sure, get another opinion.

Phillip H. Nakano, MD (retired) · Answer

Just after surgery there are many reasons to have severe ripping type pain. Remember that the tissue planes had to be separated to insert the implant. Pain is not necessarily an indicator of a complication. The reasons that would require immediate surgery are generally quite obvious. If the appearance of your breasts are good, and your surgeon cannot detect any problems with the operation, this is a pretty good indication that the pain you feel will resolve. To ease your mind further, you can always seek a second opinion.

Ripping of Breast Tissue Normal After Breast Augmentation?

Answers (6)