Instructions

• Have someone drive you home after surgery and help you at home for 1-2 days.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Follow balanced diet.
• Decreased activity may promote constipation, so you may want to add more raw fruit to your diet, and be sure to increase fluid intake.
• Take pain medication as prescribed. Do not take aspirin or any products containing aspirin unless approved by your surgeon.
• Do not drink alcohol when taking pain medications.
• Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risk of complications.

Activities

• Start walking as soon as possible, as this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots.
• Do not drive until you are no longer taking any pain medications (narcotics).
• Unless stated on this form, discuss your time off work with your surgeon.
• Do not drive until you have full range of motion with your arms.
• No overhead lifting, strenuous sports or sexual activity for 3-6 weeks.

Incision Care

• You may shower 48 hours after removal of the drainage tubes.
• Avoid exposing scars to sun for at least 12 months.
• Always use a strong sunblock, if sun exposure is unavoidable (SPF 30 or greater).
• Keep steri-strips on.
• Keep incisions clean and inspect daily for signs of infection.
• No tub soaking while sutures or drains are in place.

What to Expect

• You are likely to feel tired and sore for 1-2 weeks.
• Normal sensation to the breast cannot be restored; in time, some feeling may return.

Appearance

• Most scars will fade substantially over time, 1-2 years.
• Reconstructed breast may feel firmer and look rounder or flatter than natural breast.
• Reconstructed breast may not match natural breast.

Follow-Up Care

• If surgical drain was used, it will be removed in 1-2 weeks when output is less than 30 cc for 2 days.
• Most stitches are removed in 7-10 days.

When to Call

• If you have increased swelling or bruising.
• If swelling and redness persist after a few days.
• If you have increased redness along the incision.
• If you have severe or increased pain not relieved by medication.
• If you have any side effects to medications; such as, rash, nausea, headache, vomiting.
• If you have an oral temperature over 100.4 degrees.
• If you have any yellowish or greenish drainage from the incisions or notice a foul odor.
• If you have bleeding from the incisions that is difficult to control with light pressure.
• If you have loss of feeling or motion.

For Medical Questions, Please Call:

• (734) 998-6022, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• After hours and on weekends, call Hospital Paging at (734) 936-6267 and ask for the Plastic Surgeon on call.