Red Breast Syndrome

Options
martha5311
martha5311 Member Posts: 4
edited July 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

    I had BM 1/12/12 with immediate reconstruction with expanders. My right expander "breast" skin  has developed redness over the entire breast and also along the incision line (and about 1 inch below it as well). The skin looks awful (and this had been going on for several weeks). My PS has ruled out infection and says it is Red Breast Syndrome- something they really don't know a lot about. He says it may be an allergic reaction to the Alloderm used with the expanders and that it usually clears up once the Alloderm incorporates fully into the skin (and may take many months to clear up). I am worried that it may never clear up and am considering having expanders removed and not having implants . My left side looks fine but I keep getting a sharp pain there which the  PS says is also due to the Alloderm! Has anyone else experienced this Red Breast Syndrome and did it resolve? Thanks!

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • 1openheart
    1openheart Member Posts: 765
    edited April 2012

    I had redness in the bottom half of my lifted breast for about 8-9 weeks.  My PS said that it was blood vessels reconnecting and regenerating.

    I did not have it on my mastectomy side and I had a direct to implant reconstruction with alloderm. I did and still have pain in my mastectomy side, but it is getting better and better with PT, stretching and cold laser therapy.  Yea!

    Don't give up the ship yet.  I'm learning this process takes time and patience.  Be well. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Twinmom77
    Twinmom77 Member Posts: 303
    edited April 2012

    I just found out about red breast syndrome and I think I might have it. I had my BMX on 1/30 and I've had a couple bouts with cellulitis/staph and a surgery to replace both TE's. About a week ago (one month after the 2nd surgery) I got the redness you described but only from my incision line south...so right where the Alloderm is. I haven't seen my regular PS for a month cause he's been out of town but I plan on asking him about it this week. If what I have is red breast syndrome then I'll tell ya what - it's a walk in the park compared to cellulitis and staph infections. If you're not having other complications then I would say hang in there. For me this has been an incredibly stressful reconstruction process so far and it feels like there's no end in sight, so I know how it feels to just want these stupid expanders out. But it sounds like you're doing fairly well aside from the RBS and it may clear up sooner than later. Hopefully, someone who has more experience with it can chime in. Good luck to you!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cbecchetti
    cbecchetti Member Posts: 11
    edited April 2012

    I have redness also as you have discribed.  My PS is concerned because when she went to take out the expander on one side was constricted (a lot of scar tissue build up).  She is concerened that this is what I have going on only 2 weeks after my silcone implants.  She gave me 2 more weeks to shee how it goes.  Maybe the Red Syndrome is what I have.  I will check into that more.  Thanks for posting. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited April 2012

    I think a woman on these boards, momoftwo526, had this problem. It did seem to be a reaction to the alloderm. At her exchange, her PS removed the alloderm, I think, and told her that it had never fully integrated into the skin. She was doing well after the exchange, but that was back in January, so not sure how she's doing now. I don't think she's posted for a while, but maybe you could send her a PM (private message).

    Barbara

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Twinmom77
    Twinmom77 Member Posts: 303
    edited April 2012

    cbecchetti - did you have a lot of tightness/hardness when you had the TE on the side with scar tissue? When my PS removed and replaced my TE's, he said there was a lot of scar tissue that he had to scrape out of my left side. That was about 6 wks ago and the past couple weeks my left side has been very hard and tight and sits higher up on my chest than the right side, which is softer. I'm just worried this is the start of some capsular contracture.  What does your PS plan on doing after the 2wks to see how is goes is up?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TerriD
    TerriD Member Posts: 591
    edited April 2012

    ***URGENT*** HI Ladies, I will be posting this issue on various threads, because I need a pretty quick response, so thanks you to anyone who can help/share:  This question is for my mom. BACKGROUND: She just finished radiation. Not sure how many treatments, I think it was for 5 weeks.  She was stage 1, and this is her second cancer episode, first time was 10 years ago (me, her and my youngest sister have all had breast cancer twice each, and each recurrence was 10 years later...)

    OK QUESTION:  mom just called me her radiation dr told her she has cellulitis (last week) She has been on a sulfur oral antibiotic and has had no relief, hot-to-touch rash on rad site and tenderness.

    Now I have had my own issues with cellulitis, I have had many episodes (over 40) and have only had it 2x with out a fever present.  so I wonder... I also had a lot more rads then she did, so could it be radiation burns??  That she has? 

    I finished rads in 2009 and lost my skin etc, I did not end up with a hot to touch rash that was from radiation - that I am aware of, I did have hot-to-touch cellulitis issues (that started way b4 rads ever did) and was usually accompanied with a 103.5 fever.

    Mom  has no fever.  The rad dr gave her an oral antibiotic a week ago and it is still hot-to-touch.

    COULD THIS "JUST" be a radiation burn???  (I HATE to say "just", I know how hard it is...)

    If not, I have to assume it is cellulitis, like the dr said, but I know how hard it is to dx this animal.

    Mom is in FL I am in MI so I cant look at it, she says the "rash" is on her chest on the radiation site. In my case my rash went up my arm, and across the chest and back...hers is not spreading...so I wonder if this is just a rad side effect and NOT cellulitis???

    The problem is she has heart issues and has also had c-diff in the past, so allowing a strep bacteria unattended is a real bad idea, and having IV antibiotics would be hard too (due to her

    c-diff history). 

    She is ready to go to the ER, either way I told her that this should not be treated by her rad dr, that she needs to see an infectious disease dr. 

    Suggestions?  comments? 

    Oh, and just in case can anyone recommend an Infectious disease dr in Ft Lauderdale area?  THANKS Terri

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TerriD
    TerriD Member Posts: 591
    edited April 2012

    I created a thread if you care to comment or follow thanks t

    Could this be radiation burns or cellulitis???

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • martha5311
    martha5311 Member Posts: 4
    edited May 2012

    Thanks all who posted on this red breast syndrome topic- it has been a frustrating part of this whole process.It is helpful to know I am not the only one who has had this. Unfortunately, my left breast pain has not abated and I am scheduled soon to have expanders taken out . I am actually a three time cancer survivor- melanoma 10yrs ago, uterine cancer with chemo finished May 09, and now breast cancer. I am ready to get on with my life  and hope I will be pain free after the surgery to remove the expanders. I am ,however, struggling with coming to terms with being breast free. Oh well- part of the process. Best of luck to all of you ( and hope TerriD that your mom finds the answers she needs)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • happynewyorker
    happynewyorker Member Posts: 39
    edited June 2015

    HI martha5311,

    I know you wrote your post in 2012.  I too have Red Breast Syndrome.  mine came about after I stopped taking the antibiotics and then developed a red rawness to the breast that had the cancer and now was with the breast expander.  On May 15, 2015, I had my reconstructive surgery and had a lift, and I was told after the surgery that I had red breast syndrome.  It's been 2 weeks after my surgery and I know not much is found in regard to the red breast syndrome.  My breast is red and some points purple. 

    my breast is always hot the one with the red breast syndrome.   I read for some woman that you should wear a bra for about 6 weeks.  Others have said it went away for them after 6 to 8 months. 

    Can you tell me how long it was for you for it to go away?

    thanks again,

    Lee

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • martha5311
    martha5311 Member Posts: 4
    edited June 2015

    Hi Happy New Yorker!

    So sorry that you have had Red Breast syndrome. Mine was in one breast only (although I had both removed). It lasted several months. Looked like the breast was infected - and at one point started to expand below the mastectomy line! Dr said probably an allergic reaction to the Alloderm which is a cadaver material used when the expanders are put in to help give substance to the skin.

    Although the right one was Red- it was my left breast expander that ended up rubbing on a nerve causing awful pain- and 6 months later in June 2012 I had everything removed so I could get out of pain . So I am breastless and wearing prosthetic forms now. Am I happy with the way I look? No! But I needed to get out of pain. Haven't looked into any more reconstruction because I just don't want to chance another surgery.

    I hope if all else is good with your reconstruction that the redness will clear up- give it time!

    Cancer is such a crappy thing ,isn't it? But I do believe it makes us stronger and better people.

    Let me know how things go with you!!

    Allison



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jlow51
    jlow51 Member Posts: 88
    edited June 2015

    Happy New Yorker, I had red breast syndrome. Mine, also, was an allergic reaction to the Alloderm. My skin was damaged by radiation and the reaction to Alloderm made the skin blood red and hot. Due to the deterioration of my skin, I had to have Lat Flap surgery to replace the damaged skin as well as rebuild the breast.

    Will be thinking of you!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jdfly
    jdfly Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2016

    .

    Hi Im very confused. It seems that only women that have red breast syndrome had reconstruction. I had a breast conserving surgery and no reconstruction but today my doctor said I had red breast syndrome and an infected area by my incision. I also had a Large hematoma in my left breast, it swelled to the size of my head, 2nd surgery was to get clean margins on the chest wall and he scrapped it really well, I got clean margins. They excised the infected area, and said we got it early.

    Ive had 6 chemo(Taxotere,Cytoxin). 2 surgeries and 33 treatments of radiation. My inscision scar is 3 months old and everything was going good until last wednesday. I thought my skin was tightening and needed stretched. Has anyone had this syndrome and not have any kind of reconstruction?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories