Tissue expander removed due to infection
Comments
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Hi,
My sister had BLM with immediate tissue expander placement on Jan 30th. She initially had 4 drains and after 4 wks one drain remained due to high amt of drainage. She developed a fever and redness and ended up having to have the TE removed and is currently having the wound packed twice a day. Has anyone else experienced an infection requiring removal of TE? The PS said he would want to wait at least 3 months before starting the process over. Her remaining side looks great but she has put her fills on hold for now. I am just worried that she will continue to have problems even if a new TE is placed.
Thanks,
Alli
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Alli - I am not speaking from experience but from what I have read it is possible to have a successful tissue expander placement 3 months down the line. I'm sure someone will respond who has had this experience. Good Luck to your Sister! I hope everything goes smoothly from here on out!
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If you go to the february surgery thread, 2new1's just went through having to have her expanders removed. She is just going through it so perhaps your sister would like to sign on to this site and talk with others. going through this experience.
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Hi Alli,
May 2008 I had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. I went home with two drains. Ten days post op I developed a fever and redness of my right breast which is where I had the cancer. I responded to antibiotics and got better. When they pulled the drain on the right side I gushed alot of the yellow drainage. I think the drain had gotten plugged up a bit which was a great medium for bacterial growth. I started chemo on July 11th and became very neutropenic and was running a low grade fever. I was still going for fills during chemo when the nurse noticed my right breast was looking a little red. I also was not feeling well. Went to see an infectious disease doc who said the tissue expanders had to come out. The docs would not administer chemo while infected. They were removed August 2009. When I came out of surgery I felt so much better. I finished my chemo and had the expanders reinsterted October 30, 2008. Went for expansions without any problem and had my exchange surgery Jan. 30, 2009. I had 550cc hgih profile mentor silicon implants inserted and they came out great. I felt bad when the tissue expanders had to come out. I wore prostheses in my bra during that time but hated how I looked without any boobs. I was afraid I might not be able to get those expanders in again even though it was so comfortable to be without them. I haven't decided what to do about nipples. After having 4 surgeries in 8 months I feel I need a break. Please tell your sister to be optimistic and persistent and in time she will be able to continue with the reconstruction. I also have a friend who had to have her expanders removed and had to be on IV antibiotics for 6 months. She now has her expanders reinserted and is going thru expansion without any problem. Good luck.
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I think your sister is probably really bummed out right now. Humor her!
My PS said a six month wait if anything went wrong, so 3 months is shorter. The time will go by, it may just not seem that way to her right now.
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Alli ~ Sorry to hear that your sister is going through this. Just a quick history of my surgeries: bilateral mastectomy 2/11/09, emergency debridement (removal of dead skin that did not heal from surgery) surgery 2/26/09, and then just last week 3/8/09 - I had to have an emergency surgery in the middle of the night to remove my infected expander. I had developed a horrible staph infection and they could not leave my right expander in. However my left one looks amazing! My PS said that she is hopefully looking to replace the expander perhaps sooner than three months as long as I am healed well by then. Please send me a private message if you have any questions you want to ask me. I check on this site everyday. Prayers and hugs for you and your sister! She is very lucky to have you looking out for her!
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I just had my right expander removed on March 26. I had a right mastectomy on Jan 26 and developed an infection with a high temperature in February. They kept me on IV antibiotics for two weeks and then oral for 20 days. The minute I went off the antibiotics I noticed my right breast was red and went to my doctor. They had to remove the expander and I was so upset. But now after only 3 days I feel so much better. I didn't realize how bad I had been feeling with the infection and the expander. I won't be able to get a new expander until after chemo and look incredibly lopsided. But at least I feel sooooo much better with it out and could't imagine going thru chemo feeling that bad with the expander. It is just another detour on this cancer journey.
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Hi Alli,
My sister also had to have her expander removed after 5 weeks, she wouldn`t stop draining and had a bad infection, she also had to have the packing.Then she started and finished her Chemo in Nov. and 4 weeks ago they just put the espander back in, she had the drain removed last week but has gone every few days since to be drained with a needle extraction, they extracted 200cc`s today, her body just doesn`t absorb the fluid. It is really heartbreaking for her, she wants a breast SO bad!!! Hopefully she won`t loose this one also!!! I will keep my fingers crossed for your sister.
It is hard watching our sisters be so disappointed with all they have gone through!!!
Thanks,
Deb
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Hi Allie--I know that your sister is terribly disappointed. I too had a similiar experince and after 4 weeks developed an infection in my left (BC) expander. It was emotionally devastating for me. I was adament about throwing an arsenal of antbiotics at it but nothing worked. After having it removed--I waited 8 weeks and had it reinserted. It's been a year and all is well. Time is great healer. Take care--Erin
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Hi Alli,
I too got an infection. My journey goes like this--Bi lateral masectomy on 8-31-07 with immediate reconstruction with tissue expanders. During a follow up visit a few weeks later, my PS noticed the left expander (the side w/the cancer) has shifted up so I had revision surgery on 10-2-07. A week later it had shifted once again! I had revision surgery once again on 10-22-07, spent the night at the hospital, went home the next day & got a fever that night. Returned to see PS and I had gotten an infection. I was re-admitted on 10-25-07 & my expanders (both of them infected) had to come out. I started chemo on 11-4-07 and nothing could be done during that time, and my PS said they would have to stay out a minimum of 3 mos. After healing though, I had the expanders put back in on 3-13-08 with no problems at all. I did my fills until 7-8-08 and had my exchange to silicone high profile implants on 8-14-08, no problems there either other than some tape irritation that sent me back to the hospital for iv antibiotics. My PS didn't want to take ANY chances when he saw a little redness, turned out to be only tape irritation. Tell your sister to hang in there, I know how she is feeling, I too so wanted to have breasts thru the whole process of chemo. She is welcome to PM me if she wants any other info or just to vent to someone who has been there.
Trina
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Just last week I had to have my r tissue expander removed after 6 weeks. One year ago i had a L mastectomy after several months of chemo, then radiation after about a month. I was so looking forward to the B lat. reconstruction I never thought I would have a problem with the prophylactic side. There was a large area of necrotic tissue along the incision . After about 2 weeks I went back to the hospital for IV antibiotics for four days, then 10 days of oral antib. It looked better and the ps planned to excise the eskar after a couple more expansions.but two weeks later I had emergency surgery to remove the dead tissue and unfortunately the expander had to come out too and again the IV and oral antibiotics. The ps says I have to wait at least 3 months before any more surgery. I am very dissappointed and wonder if the dead tissue had been removed sooner if the expander could have been saved......
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Hey Michelle-
I'm just curious having gone through that dead tissue/infection issue myself. Fortunately, I was able to save the expanders but have to wait through chemo for revision and THEN fills. Did you say you were filled with that dead tissue in place? That would be highly unusual I think?
Ellen
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After bilateral mastectomies I had tissue expanders placed. The right side got infected and I had to have the expander and the alloderm removed. Now the scar tissue from the incision is adhered to my chest wall. Has anyone been in this situation? Any advice? I was told by my PS I would have to wait until it loosened to have the expander replaced.
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how did things go for you regarding your scar tissue being adhered to chest wall. I have just had to have my tissue expander removed due to an infection andam so disappointed. I am desperate to get rid of the infection. I am on strong antibiotics but the scar is still oozing. I thought that would all stop once the expander was remover. It was removed on Thursday 22nd September after being in 4 weeks.
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debbiey - there is another thread called TE TROUBLES, post there and the ladies will chime in for you. We have all had, or are having, problems with our TE's, so it is a group very familiar with your situation.
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Thanks Special K have posted a message on TE troubles. Thanks for help. Just knowing others have suffered the same and got through it helps. You do feel have I not suffered enough. Could you not just give me a easy ride with my reconstruction. People saying it will make me stronger who have never had BC or a reconstruction irritate me as they dont have a clue what it is like.
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I was tested for the Breast Cancer gene and tested positive in May of 2011. I had a prophylactic double mastectomy in June 2011 and have had many problems with the tissue expanders. My left side has been replaced twice and my right side is original. I have had multiple infections on the left side and currently do not have an expander on the left. Ive been on antibiotics for 10 of the last 12 weeks. The infections were different each time, nonetheless, the expanders had to be removed. I was really bummed when it was removed last week for the second time, but gained new perspective that this journey is but a year of my life and in that perspective, I am less frustrated.
What I would like to find out is why we are all getting these infections. Is it the material the TE are made of? Are they allergic reactions that our bodies are overcompensating for? What is actually happening? I have had 5 surgeries in the past 3 months, and have several more I'm sure before my reconstruction is complete. Has anyone researched the root cause of the infections? Or the material the TE are derived from?
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Hi Ali,
My mastectomy surgery was May 7th and had the TE place at the same time...4 weeks later i had to have my incision redone due to my skin being to thin and not healing...6 weeks later my new incision began to open with some sort of drainage...I went into to the see the PS and he drained a whole lot of yellow stuff out and I had enourmous relief from pain after the drain...He sent off a sample to be tested for infection and placed me on Cipro antibiotic...My incision looks good after just two days but the drainage has filled up so fast and needs to be drained again...Don't see the PS until next week which is 5 days away and so afraid the buildup of drainage will cause my incision to not heal and open even more...PS says if its infected and Cipro doesn't help then I will have to have TE removed and start over a few months down the road...Sometimes i wonder if all this hassle, doctors appts., and pain is worth it...Hope your sister is doing well by now!!!
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Hi Allie,
I feel your sister's pain. I do hope all went well for her (your post is dated 2008 so I wonder how she made out). I too had to have both TEs removed due to a severe infection on my right side. My PS wanted to wait 6 months to heal as the bacteria was resistant to oral antibiotics, so I am currently on an IV administered antibiotic for 6 weeks. I was told we could look at starting reconstruction over again in August 2012. My fear is that the antibiotic may not get totally rid of the bacteria and that I'll be on the IV longer.
My PS said he may put me on a prophylactic regimen of IV antibiotics before, during and after the TEs are put in and during the fills. He will discuss with my infectious disease doctoer for next steps. However, I don't know how they'll administer the antibiotic. Right now I have a cathetar (couldn't do a picc line because the BLM was too close to the bone). I have to wonder if another cathetar would be in the way of the TE? I won't know more until mid-July.
I hope your sister made out well.
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Hi Ruthlo, I am in that situation right now as my breast skin adhered tightly to my rib cage, and I am wondering what to do and where to go for help. What have you done since your last posting? I am doin physical therapy and that is helping loosen things up by My PS told me my 1st option was to do nothing, that is unacceptable I was counting on him to help make me whole after going thru this damn cancer. Any help or ideas would be so appreciated by anyone. I am seeking a 2nd & 3rd opinion. Melody
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i know this topic hasn't been looked at for a while but i'm goign thru this right now. I had a TE recon on 1/3.....a week later i developed an infection on the radiated side......a week after that it spread to the other side........a week after that i was admitted to the hospital from my dr's office and the next morning she removed both the TE's. it's been 2 weeks now and the radiated side is still red, swollen and painful at the touch. I've been on antibiotics since 1/3 and nothing is helping. i'm calling my PS today to let her know they are still not working and we probably need to figure something else out. i've researched online what to do but haven't really found anything about what to do when your TE's are removed and you STILL have the infection! has anyone gone thru this? can anyone give me some insight?
thank you so much!
ally
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Dnadebbs - I had my tissue expander removed over the summer due to infection. My surgeon left the surgical incision open and I had to pack the open wound as it slowly closed over the next 6 weeks. I remained on antibiotics for 1 week post surgery. When it finally closed, the infection flared up again. I took zyvox (a very potent oral antibiotic) for a little over 2 weeks and the infection finally cleared. . .
I had the tissue expander put back in last month and developed another infection. I had a picc line put in and was on IV vancomycin for 2 weeks. Again, the infection seems to have cleared, but time will tell. IV antibiotics are more effective than oral ones. Your doctor may want to consider that?
If you go to the TE trouble thread, you will find many women who have been in your situation. There is great support there. Good luck! -
thank you so much Binc! wowzers! i didn't even know they could leave it open....what an ordeal you went thru! thank you for the information......i'm at my wits end with this infection. it's not open at all just swollen and red and very tender......i always think the worst. i'm glad you added that you actually tried the process again and even tho you developed the infection again.....they were able to get rid of it and so far so good. i wish you well! i'm scared to do it again but i know i will. i've read about how sooo many women have not given up and tried and tried again and are happy they did in the end. so i will truck on too.
reading your history.....looks like you were alot like me. going thru the same things around the same timeframe i did. i pray everything continues to go well for you.........
much love!
ally
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dnadebbs - you might want to consult an infectious disease doc - they are the specialists in infection and how to clear it, but it sounds like you may need some IV antibiotics. Also the area might need to be cultured for exactly what kind of infection so the correct drugs are used to clear it - some infections are bacterial and some can be fungal, some can be both. Good luck! The TE Trouble thread if full of ladies who have had these issues - I linked it for you.
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/771702?page=186#idx_5576
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thank you sooo much! i actually just shared my issue on that thread as well. someone else said that i should suggest they find out exactly what type of infection it is so it can be treated correctly. i plan on talking to her about all that. thank you so much again.....i sooo appreciate your help!
ally
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My mother is in the hospital right now. She had a double mastectomy last week and had the expanders put in place. She was doing great until she got a rash all over her chest. The doctors are treating it as though it is an infection and an allergic reaction. She doesn't have a fever and her white blood cell count is normal. We are just waiting on the pathology report to come back to find out more. I feel so bad for her. She is very sad and impatient at the moment. I noticed that you were allergic to the tape. My mother thinks she is too. How bad was your reaction to it? Was it red and bumpy? Her breast is red and feels hot. I know these are signs of infection but she has no fever and her white blood count is good. I just hope it's not an infection. But after reading these posts I feel a lot better knowing that other women have been through infections and are fine.
I'm very worried about my mom. If anyone has any words of wisdom, I'd love to hear them.
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Dear Eskorman:
The same thing happened to me after my Double Mastectomy w/ TE placement Jan 20, 2015. Just my R side became red, swollen, warm, tender. They tried oral antibx for 2 wks to no avail. Finally had to get it removed Feb 18, 2015. A new one was placed at same time. For 4 weeks it did fine, lots of drainage in my drain (over 40cc day until the 4th week then 35 cc a day, then finally 2 days in a row of under 30cc/day). But there was no redness, swelling, warmth...it was great and I was so optimistic. Then I went in to the MD to have the drain removed and a 30 cc fill of saline in my TE (first fill for it). Guess what?!? The next morning I woke up and it was red and swollen and warm! I was so upset.
So I was admitted to the hosp, put on strong IV antibiotics but the infection did not abate. I had to have it removed yesterday, Mar 19 and Pl Surgeon cleaned the breast pocket out real well and closed me up (with no expander). It will be left to calm down and heal for 6 months before he can try again (in Mid-Sept).
I hate to say it, but your mom is probably going to have to have it removed. Constant infection is not good for the body...causes havoc everywhere. She just needs to get the foreign body out for awhile and let the tissue heal.
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Dear Julcliff
I am sorry you have gone through so much with the tissue expanders. I myself have had a terrible time as well. My bmx was in Dec, my right side did just as you described so they removed it and cleaned me out, then a few weeks later the left one developed the same thing. It was removed and cleaned out. Then just a few days ago both sides developed more redness and swelling so I had surgery to reopen my incisions and clean me out again. I've been on IV antibotics while in hospital and oral ones when out of the hospital. Infectious disease has been brought in because every time they culture me nothing grows. Reconstruction has been placed on hold until they figure out what is going on. I'm wondering if it is an autoimmune response to the alloderm? I can't believe this is happening. Praying you will have great results when this is over.
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hi how did your mom make out? My mom is currently in hospital receiving IV antibiotics for cellulits if it doesn't clear we will have to remove exoandrr
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I have a little Fever! Uggggggggg. Anyone.......................... nurse says use my breather and drink plenty of water. No angry breasts incisions or seeping. Drains are pretty slow already. Just concerned
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