Air instead of saline in tissue expanders?

Options
Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited November 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

Hi -- My plastic surgeon is using air to fill my TEs. I just assumed that he would use saline, so I was surprised to learn otherwise. Unfortunately, I didn't ask any questions.

I know that there is a new product that allows us to fill our TEs at home. This was not that. He just filled a sterile syringe with air and injected it into my TE.

Has anyone else had air put into their TEs rather than saline? Is this customary or relatively new?

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • SanFranKitty
    SanFranKitty Member Posts: 145
    edited September 2016

    I've never heard of it. Interesting though.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited September 2016

    Dear ida-w, Welcome to the community. We are so glad that you reached out here. We can't answer your question but here is a link to additional information on our main site that might help you form some questions for your doctor. We hope that you will stay connected here and keep everyone posted. The Mods

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Blueorange
    Blueorange Member Posts: 76
    edited September 2016

    hi ida,

    I have air in mine. My plastic surgeon said he likes to do it this way because it's not heavy. It sounded good to me, less weight on my chest during recovering and filling.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2016

    Thanks to the moderators and to Blueorange!!

    SanFranKitty -- I'm actually happy with it. I have a friend who had a smx a few weeks before me (at the same hospital just different doctors), and she says the weight of the saline is making her chest get super tight. She's also under the muscle (I'm not), so that might be a difference too. On the other hand, she got her drains out in one week, one of mine is still in three weeks and counting . . . . (smile).

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2016

    Hi -- I just posted this in the pre-pectoral thread (hopefully, it's okay for me to post here also). Just wanted to share this information with anyone else who might be curious about air-fills.

    ******************************

    Just an update for those of you who may be interested in the pre-pectoral reconstruction with air-filled tissue expander process. And a question for you ladies about air travel with TEs generally and air-filled TE's specifically.

    Went in today to have my second drain removed. PS is using air (not saline) in TEs more and more often for pre-pectoral surgeries because it weighs less than saline. This is important because although the Alloderm that the PS sutures onto the pec is strong, it is also healing. The pec muscle isn't there to add structural support for the TE. For these reasons, air-fills are coming into practice for pre-pec TEs. I don't really understand what all of the measuring units mean yet, but I know some of you are interested in them. So, we added another 50 cc's to the TE today, bringing it up to 400 cc's. Water and air cc's are the same in volume, different in weight.

    My nurse told me today that some women are reporting that air travel with air-filled TEs creates discomfort as the cabin pressurizes and de-pressurizes. PS recommends swapping air for saline prior to travel just to be on the safe side. Has anyone had any experience flying with air-filled TEs over the pec muscle?

    Gotta say that although I've shed quite a few tears through this process, today was the first time that I lost it outside of the house. For some reason, it was just too much information about decisions that I didn't need to make this morning coming at me. I only wanted the drains out and to know whether we can fly for vacation, but somehow I found myself overwhelmed when the conversation shifted to DIEP vs implants and surgery on the healthy breast to provide a lift. Oh well, all better now.

    Not sure how the following detail compares to sub-pec TE recovery, but I'm including it in case it's interesting as a comparison to others.

    • Surgery was on August 17th. First drain stayed in for just over two weeks. Second drain stayed in for just over three weeks.
    • Nurse said my range of motion was fantastic and mentioned that the pre-pec TE might have something to do with that.
    • Restrictions on lifting above 90-degrees remain for the next three or four days.
    • Then I'm to start the wall exercises. I'll be allowed to lift up to 15 pounds and start yoga so long as I don't do anything that requires me to push or pull with my upper body. I won't be able to swim until the incisions are fully healed. Even I know that I won't be running anytime soon.
    • I'm cleared to start wearing a bra or camisole, but it should be one size larger than normal to avoid pressure.

    Thanks everyone!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GinaSC
    GinaSC Member Posts: 18
    edited September 2016

    I had BMX with reconstruction at same time on May 25. My PS filled them with air. He said it is much more comfortable than saline. The one negative is if you are going to be flying anytime during the expansion with air it had to be removed and filled with saline prior to the flight. The reason being the expanders have not been tested to see how they manage with different air pressure. I had the air removed and filled with saline and the saline is not as comfortable as the air.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kekecatty
    kekecatty Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2016

    yes I just had my TE replaced last week and during my follow up appointment he filled mine with air. Also this time my TE is over the pec muscle. Anyone having discomfort and for how long. I am almost out of pain pills. How long was everyone on Pain Meds?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited November 2016

    Has anyone seen the device that you can inflate your TE's yourself? Wow sounds great in this article you can avoid the pain with daily inflation. I'll see if I can find the link.

    http://breastrecon.com/blog/archives/10-2015


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited November 2016

    Love to hear if anyone has tried it. Cuts the time to 18 days from 54 days.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories