What to Know about Breast Cancer Surgery Risks

The risk of complications associated with breast cancer surgery are relatively low but as TV personality Sandra Lee discovered earlier this year, even the safest surgeries contain some risk.

As part of breast cancer awareness month, and because no surgery is risk-free, aHuntington Hospital breast surgeon is advising women considering a surgical option to know what complications can occur and to be prepared .

“The most common complications from breast cancer surgery are infections, bleeding, the need for a blood transfusion and issues with the healing of the skin,” explained Erna Busch-Devereaux, MD, chief of breast surgery at Huntington Hospital. However, she was quick to add that the risks of bleeding and a blood transfusion are very low.

“There is always the chance of complications, no matter what surgery you do,” Dr. Busch-Devereaux said. “Unfortunately that’s just the nature of surgery. Fortunately, the risk of complications with breast surgery in particular is very small.”

With breast cancer surgery and breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, there is a chance of infection, Dr. Busch-Devereaux said. Signs of an infection include:

• Fever
• Redness around the surgical site

People who experience these symptoms should reach out to their physician.

“If a complication does occur, it can be treated,” Dr. Busch-Devereaux said. Treatments for an infection include intravenous or oral antibiotics and, sometimes, removal of the implant. The implant can be replaced after it is removed to clear the infection.

For more information about mastectomies, click here.

To see a video about this, click here: http://bit.ly/1M6rbhw