New Jersey Breast Augmentation Articles

Complications from Breast Augmentation in New Jersey

By Dr. Evan S. Sorokin, M.D.

No matter what some other surgeons will tell you or how easy it may look on television, cosmetic surgery is still a serious procedure that entails some level of risk. Bleeding and infection are a few of the risks that most frighten patients, and unfortunately these risks will always exist in any surgery. A New Jersey breast augmentation is no different in terms of these risks, but making the right choices upfront will help you minimize risk.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The best thing a patient can do to limit the complications she may face following breast enlargement is to choose a highly-trained, board-certified surgeon to begin with. Too often, patients choose a surgeon for the wrong reasons, or fail to get all of their questions answered before the procedure. These women are more likely to have a negative experience, though a variety of complications can occur even after choosing a well qualified surgeon. To protect my patients, I take out an insurance policy that substantially covers the costs of remedying any complications for each patient through a program called Cosmetassure. This insurance policy provides my patients peace of mind in case of an unfortunate situation.

Types of Complications

While controlled during the surgical procedure, bleeding can take place in the hours or days after surgery. Such bleeding may result in one of the breasts becoming markedly larger than the other. When this occurs, the patient usually will need to return for additional surgery. A significant bleeding complication that occurs soon after breast augmentation will make the breast very large and bruised over a majority of its surface. Fortunately, this type of bleeding requiring another immediate operation is rare.

In my experience, there always will be some bruising following surgery. Bruises that develop a few days after your breast augmentation in New Jersey are usually not an indication of the same problem described above. Instead, this type of bleeding generally does not cause lasting harm and does not imply a more serious complication. Smaller bruises that occur after your surgery usually resolve themselves in a few days, and are most visible around the incision site or slightly off to the side of where the incision was made.

Breast implant infections, while rare, are a serious problem that in most cases require the implant to be removed. There are two types of breast implant infections that a New Jersey cosmetic surgeon may face. The first type of infection can occur during the first week after the surgery, and causes a patient to feel very sick, have a fever, and suffer from very tender and red breast and skin. This infection type is serious, and requires that the implant be removed and no new implant be reinserted for several months. The second type of implant infection develops more slowly, with a patient initially exhibiting no symptoms but over time, the breast skin becomes thin and reddened. In this type of low-grade infection, the implant can break through the skin. Fortunately, both types of implant infections are rare.

Complications such as these may require another surgery. Unfortunately, many cosmetic surgeons in New Jersey avoid thoroughly discussing complications with their patients, or worse still, fail to offer them protection should complications occur. This is why I feel it is essential to inform all my patients about potential risks, even those that are very unlikely.

Another risk that many of my patients ask about is capsular contracture, or the buildup of scar tissue around an implant. Patients should understand that every New Jersey breast implant surgery will result in some degree of scar tissue capsule formation. Your body naturally forms scars around any foreign substance placed inside the body. Normally, only a thin capsule of scar tissue develops around the breast implant, but New Jersey and Philadelphia patients should understand the risk that a hard, thicker scar capsule may form, displacing the implant and causing discomfort. Severe capsule formation will require surgical intervention. Because any man-made device can fail at some point, patients should be aware that implant rupture may occur over time. While the two major implant manufacturers quote slightly different rates over time, there is a very real number of women who will experience a rupture. Even though most of the available research suggests that rupture will occur for about one in 10 breast implant recipients over a 10 year period, this is still a relatively high percentage. Deflated saline implants will rapidly lead to a size difference and will be noticed by the patient, but silicone implant rupture is harder to detect and an MRI may be needed to recognize the rupture. Implant deflation or rupture likely will require further surgery and patients considering breast augmentation in New Jersey must understand that they may require future corrective procedures.

Other complications such as asymmetries and malposition can occur. Despite a surgeon's best efforts, implants may settle in suboptimal positions and require surgery for repositioning. Also, blood clots and anesthesia risks are real and serious. To understand all the risks you may face, consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon who will evaluate your overall health is a necessity. Elective surgery should be performed in the safest setting possible; in my experience, anesthesia should be administered by a qualified anesthesiologist in a hospital setting, not in a doctor's office.

Patients should understand that breast augmentation surgery will not remedy some problems with breast appearance or position. Insertion of implants alone will not correct asymmetric nipple size or placement, and will not fix oddly shaped or lopsided breasts. Breasts that sag or droop will need to have a breast lift (or mastopexy) in conjunction with the enlargement procedure. Also, breast bone wideness and lateral breasts will not be corrected with implants. Attempting to place implants too far toward the breast bone will lead to nipples on the outside edge of the implants or possible symmastia (implants that touch each other in the middle).

If you are considering breast implants, New Jersey cosmetic surgeon Dr. Sorokin is available to answer your questions and help you achieve a beautiful breast appearance. Schedule a consultation today at our office in Marlton, New Jersey, conveniently located near Cherry Hill, Mt. Laurel, Voorhees, and Berlin, New Jersey. Breast augmentation patients also can call us at 856-797-0202 to set up an appointment.