All invasive surgeries carry the risk of infection. It is possible for the patient to get an infection as a result of unsanitary hospital conditions. Poor hygienic conditions in the surgical room increase the risk of infection. Similarly, implant contamination can also cause an infection. This isn’t something that you need to worry about after your surgery. We operate in Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited medical facilities. Moreover, we have an International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) certification. Our surgeons follow the standard hygiene regulations, so the chances of you getting an infection during your surgery are quite minor.
Maintaining proper hygiene is very important after your surgery in order not to get an infection. You need to change your dressing in time and whenever you touch the wounds, make sure that your hands and nails are clean. At no cost should you touch the scar throughout the day. You should let it heal on its own.
However, the lack of hygiene is not the only reason for breast implant infection. It can happen when a break, cut, or incision made on the skin allows for the entry of bacteria found on the skin.
The most common infection-causing bacteria is Staphylococcus aureus. It is normally present on the skin. When the surgical incision is made to insert the implant, it can enter the body and cause infection. Similarly, there are other microorganisms responsible for causing breast infection. These include E. coli, Streptococcus, and Mycobacteria, among others.
As a result of the infection, the breast tissue becomes swollen, painful, and tender.
The risk of getting an infection after breast augmentation is quite low. Some patients develop an infection only sometime after the surgery. It can occur during the recovery period. However, some develop a breast infection year(s) and sometimes decade(s) after the surgery.
Following are the breast infection symptoms:
Redness
Warmth
Tenderness
Pain
Swelling
Breast Lump
Pus Draining from the Nipple
High Fever & Chills
Fatigue
Itching
You can form an abscess, which happens in severe cases and is quite dangerous. It needs to be drained by the surgeon.
The shape of your breast may change. One might look bigger than the other due to the infection.
You can also develop capsular contracture after an infection. It’s a collagen-fibre capsule that starts to form around the implant. Make sure to inform about all the symptoms that you are experiencing. You can share your pictures with us for our surgeons to check your condition for a better understanding.
Antibiotics can treat breast infections. Therefore, after your surgery with us, you will be provided with antibiotics. It’ll help prevent a breast infection. Make sure that you take them as advised by your doctor. It’s important to finish your set of antibiotics as otherwise, the rates of getting an infection will increase.
In some cases, when the infection is too severe, there’s nothing that the surgeon can do but remove the implants. It also happens when the infection doesn’t respond to the antibiotics. Make sure that you are aware of the changes to your breasts after the surgery. In addition, you’d need to check them even after the recovery period. As you know, an infection can develop even years after the surgery.