Explantation & replacing implants due to rupture -- recovery?

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LisaK12
LisaK12 Member Posts: 107
edited October 2021 in Breast Reconstruction

My smooth round silicone Mentor implants have ruptured and I've scheduled surgery to have them explanted & replaced in December, which I'm dreading. My surgeon said it needs to be an inpatient surgery (overnight) and that I should expect to have four drains just as I did after my mastectomy & reconstruction. She also wants me to stick around for three weeks afterwards. I'm a little surprised, as this process does not seem like it should be nearly as involved as the initial one, since the mastectomy has already been done. If they're just switching out the implants then why would I need drains? Anyone else been through this? Is it ever done without drains and/or on an outpatient basis? I'm 55 & otherwise relatively healthy. My recovery from the initial mastectomy & reconstruction was pretty smooth and complication-free, I just hated the drains. Thanks in advance.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited October 2021

    For a variety of reasons - mostly skin healing issues - I have had implants replaced four times, this last time due to silent rupture found incidentally on routine MRI. I have never needed drains, and all were outpatient surgeries. I would ask for more info about the whys of this, it does seem unusual based on my time on this site.

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