Tissue Expander

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Lovetoswim
Lovetoswim Member Posts: 2
edited July 2018 in Breast Reconstruction

I'm concerned about my tissue expander and want to see if anyone has experienced something similar. Had a mastectomy on 6/14 and had 2 saline fillings sessions since (100 cc each). They put about 180 cc during the surgery. Total 380 cc so far. The last 100 cc was very painful.

My concern is the placement of the tissue expander. It seems to be very high on the chest. It is almost right below collarbone (about 2 fingers width). I asked PS and he said it is normal. I also found out my tissue expander is above the muscle, not below. Appreciate if you can share your experience. Should I be worried? Thanks much!

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  • SimoneRC
    SimoneRC Member Posts: 419
    edited July 2018

    Hi Lovetoswim,

    I also had prepectoral, above the muscle, tissue expanders. Tissue expanders did seem very high and ill shaped. They are essentially plastic bags of water that make room for your new future implants. They are not meant to look like breast implants. My exchange surgery and fat grafting was this past Tuesday, July 3, and my results are amazing! Great shape, no animation deformity. Everything in the right place. Hang in there. This is just a moment in time! BTW, when I had the expanders, swimming was my exercise of choice! Good luck!

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  • Lvthview
    Lvthview Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2018

    I just had my bi-lateral mastectomy on 6/27 with tissue expanders. I had 4 drains and only was able to have one removed so far (hoping next week other 3 will be ready). My expanders have about 1/2 of the final 600 ccs to start. At day 10 I am still in a lot of pain. I have stopped pain meds and am taking Advil. I can’t figure out what is hurting the most (expanders, drains or both) but still feel (on fire) in a lot of areas. Expanders are under the muscle.

    I just went through this process with my sister last year and she got great results with nipple sparing and immediate implants. I wanted to do the same (used both her same surgeon and plastic surgeon) but he felt I would get better result with expanders. Sister was a B cup and staying same sizeand I am slightly larger than a C and only want (and he suggested) to be a regular C. He felt expanders in my case would help the skin shrink down and also for muscle expansion and to have a scar tissue pocket to help hold implant along with the allederm. While I could have done nipple sparing..I could tell he felt I would have a better result (more even, higher placement) if I chose nipple reconstruction, so to also avoid any nipple cancer involvement down the road, I agreed to total mastectomy. Now I am questioning my decisions for expanders due to pain. Do they get more tolerable?

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  • Debsmisto
    Debsmisto Member Posts: 171
    edited July 2018

    hi all I just came here to comment about how high my tissue expanders are they seem really high I am day for out for my surgery and still in a lot of pain hoping this eases up some soon my te is above the muscle also and the doctor told me he put in 40% of what he wants to do CC wise

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited July 2018

    Welcome All of you to our community.

    It is not unusual to have discomfort from the expanders and many women have written that light exercise and cold pack (or frozen peas) can help. SimoneRC, thanks for sharing your experience with the height in the beginning, and the final results.

    Hang in there everyone, and naturally, talk with your plastic surgeon if pain persists.

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  • Lovetoswim
    Lovetoswim Member Posts: 2
    edited July 2018

    Hi all - Thanks so much for your comments. You make me feel much better. I don't feel so lonely anymore with high tissue expander. SimoneRC - glad to hear you are able to swim with expanders. I'm planning to do so once my PS clears me.

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  • Debsmisto
    Debsmisto Member Posts: 171
    edited July 2018

    I am now 10 days out from DMX with te's above the pectoral muscles, I am still having a lot of pain mostly where the sides of the Te's meet my armpits also on top in the center where cleavage would be, my te's are really high, anyone else have similar pain?

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  • SimoneRC
    SimoneRC Member Posts: 419
    edited July 2018

    Yes I did!!! Believe it or not, for me as they were filled this got much better. It stinks but it is not forever! Hang in there

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  • Debsmisto
    Debsmisto Member Posts: 171
    edited July 2018

    Thank you Simone, I keep thinking something must be wrong it hurts so much. Unfortunately my te's may be in as long as 12 months, I need more surgery to remove more nodes, then heal from that, then radiation then 4 to 6 months after that before I can have exchange, I can not take this pain for that long yikes

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  • SimoneRC
    SimoneRC Member Posts: 419
    edited July 2018

    Deb,

    The pain eased with the saline injections into the expanders. Will they give you fills soon or wait until after radiation and surgery? Even a little saline really made a difference for me. I had my first fill 2 weeks after the expanders were placed. Hopefully they can begin to fill yours soon!

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  • Debsmisto
    Debsmisto Member Posts: 171
    edited July 2018

    I was told he put in 40% of our goal CC wise so I already had some saline in there

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  • SimoneRC
    SimoneRC Member Posts: 419
    edited July 2018

    Hopefully with time and maybe some additional saline it will be less painful!

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