Breast Reduction Surgery Complications | Surgery Risks and Scarring

A breast reduction surgery is generally safe. It is amongst the breast-related surgeries that have the highest satisfaction rate from patients. But just like any kind of surgical procedure, there are breast reduction surgery complications. The risk may either be related to the surgery itself, or with the administration of the anesthetics. Whatever caused it, it should be immediately dealt with.

Breast Reduction Surgery Complications

Not all women are allowed to have a breast reduction surgery. There is more breast reduction surgery complications involved for women who have the following conditions:

• uncontrolled diabetes
• hardened breast skin
• cellulitis
• dry or broken skin on the breast
• breast cancer

Breast Surgery Risks Involved

As with all the other kinds of surgeries, women who choose to perform the surgery experience breast reduction surgery pains. Allergies to the anesthesia or medications would be one of the more common complications involved. Early signs to watch out for this negative reaction are sudden onset of rashes, increased or decreased heart rate, wheezing, difficulty breathing, hives, fainting, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, and anxiety.

Other less serious breast reduction surgery complications are:

• delayed healing of the wound
• development of scar tissues
• sores that grow around the nipples
• permanent loss of feeling on the nipples
• infection
• permanent bruising
• breasts that become unevenly positioned.

Serious Breast Reduction Complications

There are more serious breast reduction surgery complications, and it is important that women are aware of these.

• Numbness. Nerve endings that have been severed after the surgery are likely to end up being numb. The sensations will return and regenerate after several months so just be patient.
• Wound Separation. When this happens, the patient has to keep the wound area clean and sterile at all times. A revision of the surgery may be done through resuturing of the incision or additional surgery to excise the edges of the wound, but these are not necessary in other cases.
• Fat and Tissue Necrosis. This happens when the surrounding fat and tissues become necrotic or dies. It is caused when there is lack of blood supply into the areola. Immediate treatment is needed to remove the necrosis, otherwise, it may spawn another infection or gangrene.
• Hematoma. A sudden change in color or contour of the breast is one cause of concern and should be reported to the surgeon as soon as possible. A blood clot may cause pain, infection or scar tissue to develop and the worst scenario is death.
• Burns. This is caused by the ultrasonic radiation and is a common complication brought about by the technique itself.
• Pulmonary Thromboembolism. It means that a blood clot broke free and traveled into the lungs. It can lead to breathing distress and subsequently cardiac arrest.