Anyone leave the expanders in?

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maryannecb
maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
edited August 2017 in Breast Reconstruction
Anyone leave the expanders in?
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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited April 2008

    I am scheduled to have saline expanders implanted in May. The surgeon said that once Iwas happy with the fills he could simply remove the ports and leave the expanders in as  implants. He said most peolpe are happy with that. I have read here about how hard the expanders wre compared to silicone...

    Have any of you left the expnader in and not proceded to exchange? How does the implant feel? Look?

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  • LUVmy2girlZ
    LUVmy2girlZ Member Posts: 2,394
    edited April 2008

    Mary,

    Interesting I have never heard of that before!??  I am sure they wouldn't feel as "natural" but it saves another surgery of a switch out...yet, did you ask your PS how long they general last ? 

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited April 2008

    There are a combination expander/implants on the market.  I suspect that's what your surgeon is talking about.  The Mentor site talks about "Immediate Reconstruction  Single-stage immediate reconstruction with a breast implant or an expander/mammary implant" and then details the products available here:

    http://www.mentorcorp.com/breastsurgery/reconstruction/adjustable-breast-implants.htm

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited April 2008

    Beesie said what I was thinking -- I know a woman who had those and she's very happy with them.  (She's a busy physician who didn't want any more surgery than necessary.)  However, my PS said he doesn't use them because even though they're somewhat more comfortable than the usual expanders, he thinks they're less comfortable than the usual implants (apparently he bases this on patient report).

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  • davisfamily70
    davisfamily70 Member Posts: 146
    edited April 2008

    Maryanne,

    My PS told me the same thing-I had a bi lat mast in Oct 2006-and had the expanders put in -I wound up having them removed due to infection and then reinplanted in July of last year-and they have been in ever since.  I stopped having fills in October of 2007 - since then I have tolerated them, but I just made an appt w/ the PS because the time has come for the transfer.  I am noticing that I have a strange and constant pulling sensation, and the implants appear to have shifted.  They are hard as rock and have been since day 1-although there does seem to be a little softening around the edges.

    The surgeon told me that the longer you keep the expanders in the better, because they form a pocket that will hold the implant better.

    But I have to say that there is no way that I could tolerate these as the permanent reconstruction. There has been no time in the last 18 months that I have not known that they are there and not been uncomfortable. 

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  • suave
    suave Member Posts: 189
    edited April 2008

    My surgeon also said they don't work as good so he doesn't use them. In my case it wouldn't be good because one side is hard as rock. I would love the soft thing with me.

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  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited April 2008

    I think a lot depends on how experienced your PS is with that particular type of implant.  If you are happy with how they are and your guy is skillful at getting the valve out then I'd stick with them.

    I wasn't ever satisfied with how my PS filled my implant and thought I would have liked those as the size can be adjusted until you're happy. 

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  • Annabella58
    Annabella58 Member Posts: 2,466
    edited April 2008

    Just a silly query:

    Does anyone know how long you can leave these expanders in?

    I should be done with chemo  by July, but want to wait for transfer til my daughter goes back to college end of august (don't want to waste one second of her home on recovery!)  Poor kids been thru enough on my behalf!

    Do they ever get "stuck", meaning, don't they grow into the body at some point?

    Just wondering....

    Thanks!

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  • sjoc
    sjoc Member Posts: 133
    edited April 2008

    Hi Anniebelle -I just saw my PS a few hours ago.  I was going to schedule my exchange surgery for this month.  Had the expanders placed the beginning of November.  Unfortunately,  a couple of weeks ago I lost 95% of my kidney function (luckily I'm back to 100%) along with some other problems.  I can't get approved for surgery until I have this kidney thing checked out.  I'm having a renal angiogram tomorrow afternoon.  My PS told me that there is no problem leaving the expanders in.  He said we could wait another 6 months if we have to, I'm hoping to be able to have exchange next month if everything works out.  He said he had a patient keep her expanders for 2 years because she didn't want to have any more surgery, then had the exchange and everthing worked out fine.

    Hey Maryanne - you decided to do the implants, good for you.  I have read about the expanders that can be left in as permanent implants.  It svaes you a surgery and recovery time  believe.  I have the expander, fully expanded and it is really hard to the touch.  I have seen the silicone implants and they are much softer and have a more "natural" feel to them.  My PS and onc both recommend silicone.  I had a silicone prosthesis and it felt really natural whenever anyone gave me a hug.  I try not to hug anyone now with this rock in my chest.  Good luck with whatever you choose to do. - Sandy

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  • lag
    lag Member Posts: 209
    edited April 2008

    Hello ladies-I recently had implant removal and replacement surgery (two weeks ago)-my ps put in an expander because the other implant had ruptured-I guess i waited way too long to return to the ps not actually knowing that there was a problem-has anyone had to go through this? Just looking for whatever info i can-thank you..!!!!!!!!

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  • mrsb
    mrsb Member Posts: 140
    edited April 2008

    Hi I have had  all permenent expanders.. due to post radiation problems. I finally had new Becker silicone/saline expander in and it is my perment one. The ps did a big fill in the OR and then one small fill a few weeks later and removed the port sewed me up Check Beesie post an link to Mentor.Love being able to massage my breast and move it around.Mrs B

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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited April 2008

    I have to ask my PS a few questions...like the name of the implant so I can look into it. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

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  • Karin1
    Karin1 Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2017

    I have left my expanders in for a little of 2 yrs. I have just scheduled my surgery for begining of August to get my implants. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. The expanders are like boulders!!! I am a little bit of a procrastinator that's why I haven't had the surgery yet. My PS is amazing. He said the longer you leave them the better so I left them for as long as I could deal. I hate hugging people as they are so very hard. Good luck with whatever you decide. You have to trust your PS.


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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited July 2017

    Karin - this thread has not been active since 2008.

    Glad you're getting your exchange.

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  • TrmTab
    TrmTab Member Posts: 832
    edited July 2017

    Karin

    Thanks for bumping this thread...I have had my TEs for over a year now, 13 months exactly last Monday. I hope to have exchange in December so that will be over 18 months, I have been told up to 2 years is okay.

    TT

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  • Houston2016
    Houston2016 Member Posts: 317
    edited August 2017

    Hello Everyone, I just found this thread but it's exactly what I'm looking for. I had rads last was January 31, 2017. I told my PS prior to Unilateral Mastectomy that I like Deep Flap. He said that's good and showed me all about it. Then, after the UMX (10/16) I changed my mind wanted to have implants. By then PS already put TE in so I thought it's an option. Now, July 2017, he said my rads skin damaged can't do implants. Said the only option is Diep Flap. While I agreed it has best results I'm just not sure subject to more surgery right now and pretty happy with the TE cause it gives a little bulge and looks nice with a silicone prosthesis, I had fitting for prosthesis and it looked good. I had no idea there is such permanent TE, what is the name and why did not my PS tells me anything about it. Is it OK to keep my current TE? I wish I know about the permanent one then I wouldn't have to do any exchange right now. Hope everyone is doing OK I'm looking forward to your response. Thanks.

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  • TrmTab
    TrmTab Member Posts: 832
    edited August 2017

    Well...I posted to this thread on July 5 that I would be having exchange in Dec and thus having my TEs for 18 months...Unfortunately overnight July 20/21 be TE leaked out. I now have a deflated TE and the PS first available surgery is Oct 25th! They may last, put they may pop.

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