Many women choose to undergo breast reconstruction surgery following a mastectomy. These women are usually just seeking to restore their naturally feminine shape, but they may be doing so at a high risk to themselves. Breast reconstruction surgery is more complex than breast reduction or augmentation surgery, so there are more chances for complications to arise. Further, the body’s ability to heal itself following breast reconstruction prevents it from warding off complications. If you choose to undergo breast reconstruction surgery, be aware of some of the complications you may face.

The most likely breast reconstruction complications that a woman could face stem from surgery. A woman could have acquire an infection, suffer from excessive bleeding or severe reactions to anesthesia. She is at a heightened risk for these complications because her body is not as well equipped to deal with the trauma of surgery, having just handled cancer and cancer treatment.

One of the most common breast reconstruction complications, indeed it is usually expected to occur, is capsular contraction. Capsular contraction occurs when scar tissue forms and causes the breast to harden. It is much more common is women who use implants to reconstruct their breasts than it is for women who use their own body tissue, but it can occur with these women too. Sometimes capsular contraction can be so severe that the implant used reconstruct the breast must be removed.

Retarded healing is another common breast reconstruction complication. Due to the cancer and cancer treatment, your body may recover much more slowly than normal. You can have infections, sores, bruising, and bleeding for quite some time following the reconstructive surgery; it can up to two years for the tissue to heal completely. Women who smoke or resume an unhealthy lifestyle after breast reconstruction surgery are more likely to experience complications for a longer period of time.

One complication that may occur after breast reconstruction is the recurrence of cancer. Breast reconstruction does not cause cancer, but if the cancer is more progressed than originally suspected, implants may hinder the treatment process and have to be removed.

As with other surgeries on the breasts, breast reconstruction causes loss of sensation and, obviously, loss of the ability to breastfeed. Breasts and nipples may be asymmetrical, particularly since the reconstructed breast will never sag as far as the natural breast. Further, there is a possibility of tissue necrosis and that the body may reject the reconstructive implant.

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