May an ice bag wrapped in a towel be placed on swelling 6 weeks postoperative mastectomy with DEIP for aching?

Question

Swelling is normal this I know. I am 6 weeks post op right unilateral mastectomy with DEIP. Am still having swelling with aching near the paddle/flap. Is it a NO to apply an ice bag wrapped in a towel to that area. The muscle relaxer and pain medication isn't relieving it. Or could I just be overdoing? There isn't any redness or hot to touch. Just very uncomfortable.

Samuel Lin, MD, FACS · Answer

In the area of the mastectomy skin (native skin) the sensation is different, and so indeed any ice or heating pack to the area might potentially cause a burn in the area and so would be careful- alternatively I am not sure ice will change the underlying sensation and so would ask your plastic surgeon for options... best of luck..

Jonathan Zelken, MD · Answer

Dear lkt,
I agree with the other posters. First and foremost, you should check in with your surgeon. It is common to have post-mastectomy neuralgia (pain) where the mastectomy cut the nerve endings. Steroids and nerve pain medications may be all you need, spending on your in-person exam. I am not advocating ice, but, from a physiologic standpoint, you are unlikely to hurt the flap with ice. Enough additional blood connections have been established that what you see, flap-wise, is there to stay.
I really hope this helps and that you feel better soon!

Ali Sadeghi, MD, FACS · Answer

I'm sorry that you're going through postoperative complications.  Your surgeon needs to address the source of the pain.  You may have areas of fat necrosis in the DIEP flap adherent to the muscle underneath that are causing the muscle spams manifesting as pain.  Consult with your PS to make sure your pain control is opitimised.  If there are no surgical causes for the pain, your pain needs to be optimized medically.  Good Luck and I hope you found this to be useful.  
Ali Sadeghi MD FACS
Breast Reconstruction Specialist

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Ice compresses will likely not help at this point, and I have seen burns ( or frost bite) over the insensate skin after breast reconstruction when patients accidentally leave ice or heating pads on their skin for too long.  Best to be seen by your surgeon to make sure you are healing ok.

Robert Whitfield, MD · Answer

That is not normal in the last several hundred DIEP flaps I have performed.  At 6 weeks you should not have those symptoms.  If you have had a PT session or aggressive exercised this would make more sense to me.  Please contact your provider to be seen and examined.

May an ice bag wrapped in a towel be placed on swelling 6 weeks postoperative mastectomy with DEIP for aching?

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May an ice bag wrapped in a towel be placed on swelling 6 weeks postoperative mastectomy with DEIP for aching?

Answers (5)

Answer: Pain and ice?

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Everything you need to know about Breast Reconstruction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.