We specialize in state-of-the-art breast reconstruction techniques using your body’s own tissue without sacrificing important functional muscles.

Considered the most advanced in the world today, our procedures result in a breast that closely matches your own in shape and softness.

After Surgery Care: 0 – 3 weeks

Monitoring Your Breast and Surgery Incisions

It’s important to check your breast and all incisions daily for signs and symptoms of infection. Contact the clinic nurse or on-call plastics resident immediately if you observe the following changes to your breast or incision:

  • Increased size
  • Increased firmness
  • Cool temperature to skin
  • Change in color
  • Incision line separation

Check your incision for:

  • Increased warmth or spreading redness of skin near a site
  • Increased swelling
  • Increased pain or tenderness
  • Increased discharge at site (creamy yellow/green)
  • Foul smelling odor
  • Fever or chills
  • Elevated temperature greater than 38°C

Preventing Blood Clots

To prevent blood clotting it is important to do short periods of light activity like walking at least five or six times each day. If they develop in your legs, blood clots can break off and travel to the heart or lungs and become potentially fatal.

Seek medical attention immediately if you experience:

  • Pain or swelling in your legs
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness in breath
  • Coughing up blood
  • Chest pain
  • Anxiety

Sutures

Most sutures are dissolvable and do not require removal. The blue stitch on your breast will be removed at your first follow up appointment. Your drain tubes are held in place with a suture that will be removed when your drain is ready to come out.

Dressings

Patients generally require minimal dressings.  You may receive a light non-stick dressing along the incision you experience any oozing along the incision line.  Dressings should be changed daily.

Bathing and Wound Care

You are normally allowed to shower four days after your surgery.  Do not soak in a bath. While showering, let the water run gently over your incisions and drain sites.  Do not allow the water to directly spray on the incisions.  Pat all incision lines dry. If you have steri-strips on your incisions simply pat them dry and leave them intact until they fall off on their own.

Medications

You may be sent home with number of prescriptions.  It is important to avoid alcohol while taking any prescription medications. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat or prevent infection.  Please follow instructions for use, and take them all until finished.

Pain Medication: Tylenol 3 is most commonly prescribed. As soon as you feel comfortable doing so, you may switch to extra-strength or regular Tylenol to avoid the nausea and constipation commonly associated with Tylenol 3.

Iron: Your doctor may recommend iron supplements to help you recover from blood loss.

Stool softeners: The combination of pain medication, iron pills and decreased mobility may leave you constipated.  We suggest an over-the-counter aid such as Senekit or Colace to maintain bowel regularity.

Drain Care

You will likely go home with drains in your breast and donor site. You must empty these drains twice each day and record the amount of output from each.

Walking, Sitting, and Sleeping

Abdominal DIEP/SIEA flap patients:

  • Maintain a bent forward posture for two to four weeks.
  • Sleep on your back with your head and knees elevated.
  • Rest with your head and knees elevated.
  • Do not lay on your side or back.
  • Wear your compression bra and other garments except while showering.

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    Inner Thigh TUG flap patients:

  • Keep your  knees together.
  • Sleep flat on your back, with your knees together.
  • Sit in a reclined position, leaning back,  to avoid any tension on your inner thigh incision.
  • Wear your compression bra and other garments except while showering.

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    Buttock SGAP/IGAP patients:

  • Please lay flat on your back or stand straight.
  • Sleep flat on your back.
  • To avoid any tension on your buttock incision line – do not sit.
  • Wear your compression bra and other garments except while showering.

    • Other Important Information

  • Wear your front closing wireless bra and other compression garments at all times.  You may remove them while showering.
  • Only climb stairs when absolutely necessary.
  • Do not lift your elbows above shoulder height.
  • No sexual activity.
  • Do not lift more than 2 kilograms/5 pounds (example: a phone book).
  • No driving.
  • Avoid smoking and exposure to second hand smoke.
  • Avoid sun exposure for six months.
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