Infection in breast, losing implant?

Hi Mommyathome, I am interested to hear similar experiences too.

I had an incision infection like you, and you could see implant in the hole. I had the same surgery you had, but I'm on ciproflaxicin for 14 days. I'm going to the docs today to have the stitches out.

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I have had an implant removed in May due to healing issues without any infection, but not on the main incision - my incisions are IMF and this was an incision for areas of non-viable skin up on the front of the breast.  This was after two surgical tries to close the skin and keep the implant in place - the second surgery the PS even placed a slightly smaller implant hoping not to stress the skin as much - didn't work.  He felt that because the implant is a foreign body stretching the skin it would never close, and these areas had been open (two dime sized holes in the skin with the alloderm showing) since the first week of March.  Once he removed the implant they healed within a week.  I have to have the implant out for 90 days and then he will place an expander and start over, then exchange.  I also had this issue with the original TE - several surgical tries to save it and then removal, this area of skin had healing issues due to necrosis from the BMX surgery in 2010.

Stitches out and all looks good:) thank you for thinking of me.Stitches pulled, replaced by a strip of brown plaster over the incision which will (I am told) fall off when ready and all will be well. But it could flare up again when I am off the antibiotics.

Sorry to hear that SpecialK, it's a lot of surgeries for your body to take. And over such a long time span too, it must be very tiring for you. I'm glad to hear that your infection has gone, but sorry you lost another implant. I'm counting the days down with you til you get another one. Hopefully the next one will be trouble free.

Mommyathome, I know what you mean when some say rest and some say keep moving! I really don't know what to do either. Are you able to take a walk every day? That helps me with the sleep. Probably a mad idea, but you could have a run through at home for your lesson structure - sort of like a mock exam. Then you would know how much you can and can't do. Unless you are a PE teacher, then that would be very different! I've got a feeling you'll be ready in a week.

x x

Thanks mommyathome - hope you get good results tomorrow too, please let me know! Your ps will be able to tell you what you can realistically manage I am sure:)

What a lovely age group to teach..I have gone into my local school and done singalong sessions for 5 - 6 year olds. Their little faces! Shiny eyes all big looking at you with awe. Did the Gruffalo song, wheels on the bus, and of course twinkle twinkle little star hee hee

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Hi SpecialK, thank you for the advice - I will try extra protein, nuts and avocado should be good. I had not thought about adding pineapple and did not know that it contained bromelain, so that is on the shopping list for tomorrow:)

Looking at your signature, Long journey doesn't quite capture the last four years of your life in terms of operations and procedures. You are amazing. May I ask was there something that caused the weakened skin? Was it SE of chemo?

I had to google search the hyperbaric chambers. Sounds scary! I think I got a similar effect from the strong wind today while walking my dogs - we got the tail end of Bertha for the next few days.

Mommyathome - I hope you had good results today.

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songbird - the weakened skin was actually a SE of the BMX procedure itself - I was one of the unfortunate 20% that develop skin necrosis after skin sparing mastectomies.  It is skin death that occurs when the blood supply from the muscle to the skin is patchy.  I have extremely thin pectoral muscles - my PS said he has only seen one other case of that degree of thinness in his years of practice.  So, my skin did not form a good connection to the muscle and those areas of skin on the left breast were compromised, so they were excised.  This has continued to be an issue going forward - clearly!  I never would have thought I would have recurrent issues with this in the surgery in March though (it was a replacement of the allograft material) because it had been so long since that area had healed.  It tore during that surgery as the skin is paper thin there.  The repeated attempts to excise and re-stitch did not work, so the implant had to be removed.  I do not heal well in those areas with a foreign body underneath - be it expander or implant.  In both cases, I had easy and complete healing once the foreign body was removed.  Greek yogurt and protein powder smoothies also pack a good protein wallop!  I use vegan protein powder to steer clear of soy and dairy.

mommyathome - FWIW - fat grafting was one of the best things I did - easy outpatient surgery for me, worst part was wearing compression garments and being barred from the gym for 8 weeks.  Something to think about for the future, but I hear you on just getting through the immediate problem!

I developed some sort of infect and had to have capsulectomy. I'm five days post-op. Surgical site is fine, draining okay and basically pain free, but I pulled a rib muscle sneezing while waiting for my BS and PS.

It's the removal of the implant and scar tissue that formed around the implant.

Hi gals:)

Mommyathome, I would be just as squeamish about doing my own picc line too. I am happy I am on tablet form. No sign of infection so far. I hope it doesn't come back when I finish the antibiotics. I've heard that can happen - eek!

SpecialK, thank you for explaining. Are there plans to try again?

toni67 sorry you lost your implant will you have to wait long to have another?

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Just what I'm thinking Toni

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I'm a little late in the conversation, but I bring another perspective/experience, should they have to remove the implant.

I had my BMX with TE placement in Nov, 2011. Fills beginning Feb, 2012.  Exchange July, 2012. I had an allergic reaction to the post op antibiotic so they discontinued it.  9 days post op I had a fever of 104* and infection in the left breast.  I was hospitalized on IV antibiotics for 7 or 8 days. Then they sent me home with a PICC line.  I had a great dinner, showered and my right breast simply would not dry off.  It was leaking!   Back to the ER.  My right side had developed a seroma (fluid pocket) that had burst my incision and exposed the implant. The implant was not ruptured, just exposed.  They put me back in the hospital and removed my right implant the next day.  They did not want to risk infection in the open wound, and felt my thin skin would not heal over the implant.

I went from July, 2012 to May 2013 with one implant and one skin sagging right breast. They left the sagging skin, so as to have that skin for furture reconstruction.  My PS decided that my skin was too damaged from the TE, implant, seroma, etc... that a new implant would not hold.  So, May 2013 I had phase I DIEP.  March, 2014 I had a minor scar revision where the incision from May, 2013 had not completely healed!   June 2014 I had phase II DIEP. 

Because of my weak, thin skin, my PS waits a long time between each procedure.

I am satisfied with the results of the DIEP.  I definitely would have preferred if the implants had not been lost, and this was all over.  But......................

Songbird, I don't know how long it will take before my PS is able to do an implant. I'm only six days post-op and still waiting for the results. My PS told me on Tuesday that I won't need TE which is good. I'm not in a hurry at all.