pink/red skin over implant; is it necessarily infection?

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jojo9999
jojo9999 Member Posts: 202
edited September 2015 in Breast Reconstruction

I had exchange surgery 6 weeks ago. This week I developed some swelling and pinkness of the skin that covers my left implant. It only covered the lower half, looked like a pink sling holding the breast/implant. To make matters worse, the day before the redness, I started a fever, thought it was a virus I caught from being around a lot of students. My PS examined me and started me on two oral antibiotics - he didn't think it warranted IV antibiotics yet - it was warm but more pink than red and my fever was low (about 100) although he did warn me that i may have to switch to IV. The redness has diminished quite a bit, swelling is way down, fever is gone. I follow up with PS next week.

What else could cause pinkness to the skin? I was worried that I pulled something - I started doing more around house and might have pushed it too far. I had a lot of muscle soreness in my arm/shoulder.

I am curious to hear from others who have had infections - did the redness radiate over the entire implant? and did you have muscle soreness ?

Anyone have redness and swelling that wasn't infection?

thanks

jo

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  • SA8PG
    SA8PG Member Posts: 371
    edited September 2015

    Hi Jo I sent you PM.

    I'm sure someone will pop on here soon after the holiday weekend.

    Hugs

    G

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  • Rosettastone
    Rosettastone Member Posts: 10
    edited September 2015

    Hi Jo,

    I, too am struggling with pink-redness (cellulitis) from infection, presumably from a tissue expander that was inserted 3 weeks ago.  Unfortunately, after a week in the hospital, whereI received IV and oral antibiotics, the situation has not resolved.  I just want to tell you that any foreign object inserted into the body is a magnet for infection and that probably explains your problem.  I am worried that by thinking that you "pushed yourself too hard" and that brought on the infection you are needlessly blaming yourself.  

    I'm very glad that you're getting better.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited September 2015

    This could also be "red breast syndrome" caused by any allograft material used during your surgery - if any was. The description of the redness in a sling like shape would support that possibility.

    http://meeting.nesps.org/abstracts/2013/29.cgi


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  • jojo9999
    jojo9999 Member Posts: 202
    edited September 2015

    Rosettastone, I'm sorry to hear about your ordeal. My PS has prepared me for the possibility that it could get worse. I see him tomorrow. Do you know what type of antibiotic you had? I am on moxifloxacin, which has some scary side-effects. I wish you the best trying to get rid of the infection.


    SpecialK - thanks for the link. I forgot to ask PS about alloderm. will do so tomorrow. I know I had alloderm on the right-side, but not sure of left-side

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  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Member Posts: 1,562
    edited September 2015

    For my first couple of chemos with taxotere, I had a scary red breast which may have well been the red breast syndrome. Didn't hurt, itch, etc. I had a low grade fever, but was it from the chemo?

    All gone now, been on H&p for 8 months. No more red slings

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  • Rosettastone
    Rosettastone Member Posts: 10
    edited September 2015


    Jojo,

    Of the two IV antibiotics I was given in the hospital, one was Vancomycin, can't remember the 2nd. Will check.


    Hope you appt went well.

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  • jojo9999
    jojo9999 Member Posts: 202
    edited September 2015

    Thanks for letting me know. Appt went well. PS seemed very relieved to see the pinkness gone and no fever. So I think I am out of the woods but will stay on the antibiotics for 3 weeks, and potentially longer if there is a hint of anything worrisome.

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited September 2015

    Jojo, unfortunately infections like yours are a rather frequent occurrence with implants. My PS told me in most cases, the trigger remains unknown. I had two such infections: first, when I was at the peak of chemo and had expanders in and second, when I just started radiation. That second infection, was on the side that was not being radiated. In both cases, oral antibiotics made it go away. The first one however, required a very strong antibiotic, whereas the second one was very mild and disappeared on cipro.

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  • treelilac
    treelilac Member Posts: 245
    edited September 2015

    My cellulitis started out as allergic reactions to medical adhesives (Dermabond and steril strip). The skin integrity was weakened. I had red bumps and blisters. I guess I scratched (or the wound failed to heal well). It developed into full blown cellulitis even when the bumps seemed gone. I was given iv. vancomycin in the ER.

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  • jojo9999
    jojo9999 Member Posts: 202
    edited September 2015

    treelilac: Good to know. I had used silicone strips on the left side (the side with the suspected infection), so it may have been a reaction to that. obviously I stopped using them! PS had OK'd them for me to use. When you got your iv antibiotics did you go home with the IV? my PS mentioned this to me if the oral antib didn't work. I wonder how that works.

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  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited September 2015

    Thanks for the link Specialk. This happened to me with the adm in my TEs.

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