Implant infection after 10 months

anne333

Hello all. I am currently in the hospital after having emergency surgery on my left breast. I am 10 months post-reconstruction. Everything was going fine, then my breast that had the cancer turns bright red, hot and swollen. My doctor replaced my implant with a new one and cleaned everything well. We are waiting to see if the bacterial culture reveals any answers, but it's looking like a mystery. Has anyone had any similar problems with an implant becoming infected so long after surgery date? Any info appreciated. Best of luck to all you lovely ladies.

moderators

Hi @anne333,

We just wanted to stop in and send you a hug — what a scary thing to experience! Please keep us posted on what the culture reveals and what your next steps are. We're thinking of you!

—The Mods

nns121317

That sounds terrible! Hopefully everything is good now. I had an infection about a month after fat grafting - same symptoms, and spent a week in the hospital. They were concerned the infection would settle around my implant, but that did not occur. My husband once had a bout with sepsis that really took hold next to a hernia mesh - it was explained to me then that infections love to hang out on artificial surfaces, because there isn't a blood supply to send meds or antibodies. I wonder if that's true of breast implants too. Hope you heal soon!

cookie54

@anna-33 Sorry you had to deal with this and hope your back home quickly. I had the exact symptoms plus a fever but four weeks after implants. It came on suddenly and was the same side where cancer was found. I was at work and was fine in the morning by the afternoon fell very ill. Was admitted to hospital by 5 pm , was crazy. Like you I had implant removed/replaced and pocket flushed but they never found any infection. Figured I would share even though our time frames differ. Implants have been fine now since 2017. Best Wishes.

lillyishere

ane333, it happened to me 8 months after surgery and I took antibiotics and it went away. This is in 2020. I don't have any problems since then. Let us know what your results will be.