HOw long for surgeries?/

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bluewillowskys
bluewillowskys Member Posts: 365

Im wondering how long is the average single mastectomy/with TE? How long for a single lift/implant? How long for a single exchange?

I am looking at doing the mx /TE on my right side and the other surgery on my left. Can both of these be done at same time? or should i wait to get the augmentation on the left until i get the permanent implant on the right side?

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  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 381
    edited January 2015

    I had a uni mast in July and had immediate expander. I was asleep for about hours. I had exchange in December with lift on the natural side and was asleep for about 2 1/2 hours.

  • bluewillowskys
    bluewillowskys Member Posts: 365
    edited January 2015

    how many hours for the uni/expander?

  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 381
    edited January 2015

    my mastectomy, uni, was done and the plastic surgeon came right behind the surgeon so it was all done at the same time. I was out about 5 hours. Spent the night and went home the following day. Started having expander filled in about 2 weeks. Now, in the exchange, my plastic surgeon did have another doctor assisting him, and I am not sure, but would assume he likely did in the placement of the expander. I had the alloderm at time of mastectomy, so that would have taken a good deal of time to get it placed and sewn in and all of that.

  • bluewillowskys
    bluewillowskys Member Posts: 365
    edited January 2015

    thanks for the responses....can i choose to have alloderm? i mean can i ask the dr to use it since i have had radiation? i want to make sure the muscle is strong enough to hold the implant.

  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 381
    edited January 2015

    I really dont' know. I see others on here who discuss the sizes of their implant and brand and all of that but I have to be honest and say, my doctor explained all the different types of reconstruction he could do and I said I wanted to just have a simple implant. He told me how he would do it and I really never asked or tried to tell him what kind to do. I told him I just wanted my surgery side to come out to match my natural side in clothing and left it up to him to figure that out. I have read where some people have had issues when they did not have the alloderm with the implant shifting. I didnt have radiation or chemo and wasn't a smoker or not much sunbathing, so I really have not had any problems with the reconstruction or the expansions. I can tell you muscle relaxers are better for the pressure of the expanders than pain meds. I have a friend whose doctor gives her valium for the expansion but she says she can't take it because of it making her tired. She had delayed reconstruction. Had the mastectomy and then after chemo, had expanders. I am not sure if she had alloderm and neither is she. She is a nurse but asks no questions. She sees the only plastic surgeon in the city we live in and from what I can gather, he mostly does augmentation but she just knows this will go well. I go to a breast center where the plastic surgeon does have a private practice too but does reconstructions on a weekly basis.

  • roadrash
    roadrash Member Posts: 145
    edited January 2015

    Hi,

    I hope your surgery is easy and the recovery goes fast. I remember getting nervous thinking about how long my surgery was going to be for a double. I had a double mastectomy with tissue expanders with 200 cc's put in. I know that my entire surgery took about 6 hrs. I had very dense breast tissue and it was difficult to remove. On the average, it was suppose to take 4 hours.Your surgeons are going to take great care of you. It was important for me to do a lot of guided imagery (the outcome in a few months) and not get focused on the temporary.



  • bluewillowskys
    bluewillowskys Member Posts: 365
    edited January 2015

    heard back from PS...i will see him the same day as my mammo and BS on Feb 10th....exited but nervous too...how do you get over the worries that all will be ok?

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