Home → Treatment & Side Effects → Planning Your Treatment → Ask-the-Expert Conferences: Treatment Issues → May 2008: After Surgery: Short-term and Long-term Effects → Weighing implant exchange risks?

Weighing implant reconstruction risks?

Page last modified on: August 21, 2008

Question from MargaretB: I had latissimus dorsi reconstruction almost 3 years ago and the implant has become encapsulated. My surgeon said that it will need to be replaced at some stage, but it's my decision when. I had a lot of complications after my original surgery -- skin necrosis, which took 2 years to heal. Should I have the surgery and risk problems again, just as life is getting back to normal?: Answer —Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S.: One issue with thick capsule or scar tissue formation around the implant is that it can create tightness across the chest and chronic pain or discomfort. Some of your decision may be based on your symptoms and how tolerable they are. Each woman is different, and while some form very little capsule around the implant, some form thick capsule that tends to form again even with revision or replacement of the implant. There are some techniques that may help minimize capsulation, including the type of implant selected, massage of the implant post-operatively, and stretching techniques.

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called After Surgery: Short-term and Long-term Effects. Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Linda Miller, P.T. answered your questions about short-term and long-term side effects of breast surgery, and what you can do about them.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a breast surgeon and clinical instructor at the Thomas Jefferson University Department of Surgery in Philadelphia, PA. She also maintains a practice in Cherry Hill, N.J. Dr. Brill is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In addition, she has published breast cancer research in medical journals such as Annals of Plastic Surgery and Cancer, and she has presented research at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Linda Miller, P.T. is the clinical director of the Breast Cancer Physical Therapy Center, LTD, a private practice serving the Philadelphia, PA and southern New Jersey areas. Linda specializes in treating post-operative complications of breast cancer surgery, including lymphedema.