"Dog ears" or "wings" post bilat mastectomy

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dustycat
dustycat Member Posts: 4

I had a bilateral mastectomy in Oct 2011 and I do not plan reconstruction. I have these flaps or "dog ears" left over from the surgery in the rear-armpit area. My surgeon tells me that she cannot remove these or revise these and that the only way to minimize them is to have reconstruction.  I do not believe her. I 1. want to know if anyone else has had these removed and 2. does the existence of these "dog ears" mean I have breast tissue remaining.

Any insight/suggestion would be appreciated. Thank you.  

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited June 2012

    dustycat, I had dog ears in a different place -- at the ends of my tummy scar from my Diep recon, and my plastic surgeon fixed them during my 2nd reconstructive surgery.  I don't think you need to have reconstruction to fix them, but you probably need to have a consultation with a plastic surgeon, who would be the type of surgeon to fix them.

    Hopefully, others who have been in your exact situation will also be along to weigh in, but I thought I'd at least stop and share the little I know about dog ears and my experience to bump this thread for you.    Deanna 

  • vmk
    vmk Member Posts: 17
    edited June 2012

    I had an orange size dog ear under my arm after a UMX.  It was painful and the pressure of it made my arm go numb when I used the computer or did yard work or housework.  My breast surgeon did an incision revision 7 weeks after my mastectomy and removed the dog ear.  I am very pleased with the result and look forward to being able to wear a bra which I couldn't with the huge dog ear.  I am not having reconstruction.  I did have general anesthesia but was able to leave the hospital late that same day.  My recovery after the revision surgery was much less difficult than after my mastectomy.  I had much less pain and while I did have a drain, it wasn't in for nearly as long.

  • Delilahbear
    Delilahbear Member Posts: 466
    edited June 2012

    I had dogears and fatty areas under my arms post BMX. My PS did an in office procedure and cut an shallow oval piece out of each side, including the old scar and resutured them. It made a big difference. First of all he was just going to lipo the areas then decided that to correct it with incisions would take care of dog ears and fatty areas. There was also 2 lipomas in one area. When all was said and done, I am very pleased and went down a bra band size.

  • SammyIAm
    SammyIAm Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2013

    Don't quite know where to start...I had a right mastectomy March 27th, 2013. Ended up with a huge dogear under my arm which feels like a big rubber ball. I had undergone a reduction 15 years ago and was going to make the appointment with the same plastic surgeon to take care of the dogear. Then I read many of the posts made on this website and thought there are SO MANY of us!! I asked my surgeon at my last checkup - and I'm sure many other women did also - why did you leave this lump of flesh? Well, it's adipose tissue. I know that means FAT tissue but so what - it was part of the breast, now the breast is not there to hold it forward any longer and I have to live with this? Then it dawned on me - it's not "healthcare" any longer...it's the "health INDUSTRY." So we women go thru this horror of mastectomy, pain, drains, painful mammographies, needle biopsies and they leave us with THIS? I am SO angry and I'm cancelling my appointment with the plastic surgeon - because it's draining Medicare - this is what this is all about. Prescribing drugs - whether needed or not. Referral to other physicians - whether needed or not. Just to keep the big money wheel turning. I'm not going to take the Anastrozole - which will lessen recurrent breast cancer by a MERE 7%? That's not enough to pay that much for this drug every month. I'm getting off the money wheel that keeps going round and round. I cannot believe that the healthcare industry would do this to women who have already suffered enough and gone through this continuous fear - only to leave us uncomfortable, scarred and disfigured - even though out of necessity. The LEAST the surgeons can do while you're under sometimes dangerous anesthesic and the coming weeks and weeks of pain that they cannot REPAIR this while you're undergoing mastectomy. It's all about the MONEY!!! 

  • Cal1960
    Cal1960 Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2017

    I had prophylactic( mascetomy) a preventive surgery..without reconstruction 12/9/16 I have 2 bulges one under each arm feels like having a football under my arms at times an my chest feels like I'm wearing a chest plate an one arm mobility is very difficult . .my doctor said the dog ears can be fixed after I've done therapy to see if it'll help lay it down...has anyone had it lay down after therapy or does it? does the tightness go away?...I don't regret having the surgery but I just wish they would of prepared me for what to expect..

  • Cal1960
    Cal1960 Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2017

    that gives me hope ..thanks I hope I too will have a good result

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