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Following surgery to the breast, complications and side-effects are possible. Below is a list of common and less-common consequences of breast surgery, and aspects affecting scar formation:
NB: Information on lymph node surgery is provided separately in ‘FORUM – Breast Cancer Surgery - **Surgery to the Lymph nodes (axillary surgery)’. (** to be posted soon!)
- Some pain & discomfort at surgery site, although not usually severe. Pain-relieving medication is generally prescribed for the first week or so after surgery and usually is not needed for long. NB: Sufficient pain-relief to allow gentle arm movement, rest & sleep is important for recovery. Taking mild pain-relief medication regularly (per recommended dosage) may help, or discuss with your doctor if inadequate pain-relief.
- Area of numbness & altered sensation around scar is very common. Surgery will usually disrupt nerve pathways, and may affect an extended area of skin. At times partial numbness and mild tingling/prickly sensations may be felt – often described as feeling ‘odd’ and ‘like a dental anaesthetic’. This usually improves over time, although some permanent numbness may remain. Gently massaging the area (after first few weeks of initial healing) may assist to ease discomfort and promote nerve recovery.
- Mild swelling and bruising is common, and should settle over a few weeks. Severe swelling, pain, and/or bruising are rare – however are possible signs of more serious complications such as bleeding, and medical review may be required.
- Fluid may collect around the incision site (more common after mastectomy), termed a ‘seroma’. Seroma fluid may continue to collect after drains are removed. Seroma collections often appear as a firm swelling, or a swelling that is fluctuant (i.e. moves in waves like a waterbed when pressed). Usually there is no change in skin colour (if skin colour changes, may indicate bruising, bleeding or infection). Although not a serious complication, seromas may be large & uncomfortable and may require drainage with a fine needle – usually by your surgeon or breast care nurse. GPs may attend to this - however some are not comfortable to do so.
- Wound infection. Increasing discomfort & redness around the incision site or drain sites may indicate an infection, and may be accompanied by fever, feeling unwell and /or discharge from wound. Medical attention is required, and treatment may include antibiotic treatment and possibly surgery.
- Bleeding into wound. Increasing swelling & pain around wound may indicate bleeding, particularly in the first few days after surgery. Usually a ‘bruised’ discolouration to the skin is also present. Medical attention is needed and surgery may be required.
- A condition called lymphoedema of the breast or chest area is rare but may occur as a chronic longer-term swelling, possibly with mild redness to skin. Treatment with physiotherapy and specific massage techniques may help.
- Persistent discomfort/pain around surgery site may occur. This most commonly is due to nerve damage or scar tissue formation, and can range from mild to severe. Treatment may include massage, stretching exercises and possibly management with medication.
Ideally scars should form a thin, flat line that fades over time. However not all scars achieve this, and may become hard, raised, widened and reddened.
To achieve optimal healing & appearance of scar, several aspects are important to consider:
If you are concerned by the appearance or symptoms associated with your scar/s, please discuss with your treating team, GP or breast care nurse. In many situations corrections and adjustments may be possible to improve troublesome scars.
Please add any comments or queries regarding side-effects of breast surgery or scar formation below ...
The Click Breast Care Nurse 
61 year youngmother of 3 grown up boys, 3 grandchildren. Mastectomy LB with implant reconstruction, removal of sentinel and lymph nodes, no radio or chemotherapy needed.
The Click Breast Care Nurse
Hi All
From my experiences I would suggest that girls/wimin look into any proposed reconstruction
very carefully. Make sure that you have an ethical and up to date surgeon, check his/her reputation.
I had to have 2 recons as the first was a botch up, medical negligence, the second at one of our big teaching Hospitals, a Lapidimus Dorsi (back muscle)striped to the bone(as he did not read the scans that I had for him) and used for building up breast by bringing muscle under arm, beneath the skin & on me patching up large hole in breast with fresh, not radiated healthy back flesh & skin, watch out if you have had Auxiliary clearance! I asked could it make my Lymphodoema worse, he asked in my arm? I did not know that I could get it else where, so said yeh in my arm, & he said no,(listen well to what is not said, better still take someone who is not stressed by it all) well now 9 years later back scar is sore and ugly,can not even wear a modest sleeveless top, underarm has been stinging for years and the Lymph is building up more now after a series of falls(due to the need for a knee replacement) landing on hand on problem side.
This post was edited by Phoebe at November 27, 2015 5:15:27 PM WATime"Single woman no kids, Breast Ca diagnosed 2003, lumpectomy (problematic not enough clearance around tumour so surgeon went in again after 2 weeks),auxiliary clearance, chemo, radiation, Tamoxifen for 5 yrs. at the time I went on Tamoxifen I came out in psoriasis which remains a problem.
Reconstruction 2006- Lapidimus Dorsi (back muscle used for flesh to rebuild breast) on second recon, the first recon was a big mess !!
Squamous Cell Ca on vocal chord diagnosed 2005,surgery, more surgery, radiation, more surgery, currently have lump on vocal chord being checked 6 weekly (probably damage from radiation) I am refusing further surgery on throat to preserve what is left of my voice! Long journey.
