Complications after breast reduction surgery

Introduction

Women with large breasts often feel discomforts because of the breasts' weight. They feel pains in the back or neck which is the reason why they opt for breast reduction surgery. Any kind of surgery bears the risk of possible allergic reactions to anesthesia and breast reduction surgery is no exception. A woman may come out in a rash or have trouble breathing. Some other reported reactions to anesthetics are feeling of weakness, nausea, and sometimes even vomiting. A woman may feel confused and agitated, heart beating is irregular and slow.

Complications

After the surgery, there is a strong likelihood that breast sensations are weakened or completely gone. The part of the skin and breast tissues is removed by the surgery, which affects the breast nerves. This causes inability to feel a few months after the surgery and inability to breastfeed. The scar can be unpleasant and difficult to remove. Steri-strips and gels are used after the surgery to avoid tough, irregular and enlarging scars, keloids. Smoking and previous problems with scars increases the risk of having large, irregularly shaped scars. Wound may be difficult to heal, so bandages and adequate gels should be regularly replaced. In case of separation of the wound edges, a surgeon may suggest also another corrective surgery. It is not that rare occasions that women were dissatisfied with the surgery due to asymmetrical breasts after the surgery. Always do some researching and try to find the best surgeon.

The breasts are likely to darken a bit after the surgery, but this should disappear a few weeks after. Creams and warm bandages help diminish the dark spots. If the hyper pigmentation persists, laser lights can help. A doctor can give his patient some Aspirins, vitamin E to enhance blood circulation. The fluids can build up in the place of the surgery, which is named seroma, or some blood may clot at the surgical spot, which is named hematoma. If either of these occur, they should be taken care of immediately.

Another complication of this surgery may include the dead tissues or fats in the breast due to the inadequate blood supply. This is medically termed tissue necrosis. Should this happen, a patient needs treatment right away because there is the potential of some severe infection, even gangrene. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be given to the patients with heart and breathing problems induced by tissue necrosis. In order to avoid infections after the surgery, the patients are advised to wash thoroughly the breasts and the body with anti-bacterial soaps. Otherwise, they risk getting an infection manifested in swelling, redness, feverish state and pains.

Pulmonary thromboemboli is a severe breast reduction complication that can strike the patient within three or four days after the surgery. The blood forms clots in the lung, making it difficult to breath and supply the brain with oxygen which may lead to coma.