After your Breast Reconstruction – (with Delayed insertion of implant) surgery, the following guidelines may be helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call Dr. Lynch at 609-448-6200.
- Following surgery you will be in a surgical bra and wrapped in an ACE Bandage dressing to maintain compression. This will minimize the risk of a seroma developing, and postoperative infection. Please keep the surgical bra and ACE bandage on until your first post operative visit.
- Please notify the office if you experience fever, chills, redness or unusual swelling after your surgery.
- Please finish taking all of your antibiotics as prescribed. Often, eating yogurt may help to alleviate some of the side effects of antibiotics. If you are prescribed narcotics for pain management, it is important to stay well hydrated, and increase fruits and vegetables in your diet to minimize the constipating side effects of the narcotic.
- Please avoid strenuous upper arm/chest muscle exercises for 6 weeks after surgery. Please limit lifting to no greater than 10 lbs.
- It is recommended that you maintain the ACE wrap for 24 hours a day for 7 days. You may remove the bra and wrap to shower. If necessary, you may wear a cotton T-shirt and place the ACE bandage wrap over the T-shirt to minimize irritation of the skin. Be sure the T-shirt is smooth under the ACE wrap.
- After 7 days you may remove the Surgical bra and ACE wrap and wear a “sports” type bra that will provide support and maintain the placement of the implants. Please do not wear an underwire bra. Please wear a “sports” bra for 24 hours a day for 21 days. You may remove the bra to shower.
- After 21 days please wear a bra for 12 hours a day for 21 days. You may begin to gently massage the implants, to keep the breast soft and to minimize the risk of a capsular contracture.
- DO NOT SMOKE
- You will receive your implant information card after surgery. Please keep this card available. It is important to inform other health care providers ( Dentists, Radiologists, etc.) that you have a breast implant in place. It may be necessary to consider prophylactic antibiotics prior to dental work, or other invasive procedures, for a period of 2 years after your surgery
