Side Effects of Mastectomy for Breast Cancer

You may experience both physical and psychological side effects from your mastectomy. The physical side effects can be short term or long term. Pain is a normal short-term side effect; scarring and local numbness are normal long-term side effects. Unusual side effects sometimes occur that may need treatment. These are considered complications. In addition, women are faced with the psychological challenges of a change in body and self-image. Seeking support from others may help women work through their feelings and resolve any issues concerning body image or sexuality.

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

Pain

The surgical area will be painful while it is healing. Pain medication is prescribed to keep pain under control. After the area has healed, it usually remains sensitive.

Nausea

You may have nausea and vomiting from the anesthesia, especially if you have had this type of reaction to anesthesia before. You may be more likely to have nausea as an immediate side effect if you have diabetes, are obese or are prone to motion sickness. There are very good medications available that usually lessen or eliminate this symptom.

Surgical Scarring

The scars from a mastectomy usually go across the chest on the side where the breast was removed. There also will be small scars from the drain sites. The scars will be red after surgery but will fade, becoming closer to skin color over time. The area around the scar will be permanently numb. You may feel tightness in the chest and around the scar as healing takes places. This will diminish as your surgical wounds heal.

Seroma

The cavity created by tissue removal sometimes fills with serum, a clear fluid. This pocket of fluid is called a seroma. A seroma may give the surgery site a filled-in look, but this is temporary, and eventually the body reabsorbs the serum. A seroma may need to be drained to promote healing. It becomes a complication if it gets big enough to exert pressure, irritating the surgical area and causing additional scarring. The surgeon will usually remove the fluid under local anesthesia using a needle and syringe in a procedure called aspiration. It is performed in the office and rarely causes pain.

Numbness

You can expect numbness in the surgical area. This is caused by unavoidable cutting of nerves during surgery. Sensation will not return with a total mastectomy.

OCCASIONAL SIDE EFFECTS

Phantom Breast Sensations

You may experience phantom breast sensations, which are feelings that the breast is still there. These sensations may be painful or nonpainful and will resolve over time.

Necrosis

As part of the surgery, large flaps of skin are freed from the underlying breast. The blood vessels supplying these flaps are usually adequate, but sometimes the flap edges do not get enough blood. In this case, some tissue around the incision may die. Minor surgery may be required to repair the surgical area.

RARE SIDE EFFECTS

Hematomas

Some bleeding from surgery is common even though the surgeon "seals" blood vessels cut during tissue removal. Pockets or pools of blood are called hematomas. The more tissue that is removed, the more blood vessels are damaged, which increases the chances of a hematoma. Hematomas usually heal by themselves. However, a large hematoma can cause pain and reddening of the overlying skin and needs to be treated to avoid rupturing the wound. The surgeon will insert a needle and draw out the excess blood. This procedure is called aspiration and is done under local anesthesia.

Infection

Infection in the tissue prevents healthy tissue from growing together. If the surgical site becomes infected, it should be treated immediately. Additional surgery may be required to remove dead tissue.