Mastectomy Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a mastectomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Bleeding and bruising
• Seroma (accumulation of clear fluid in the wound)
• Infection
• Swelling of the arm caused by accumulation of fluid in lymph nodes ( lymphedema )
• Limited arm and shoulder movement
• Numbness of skin on upper arm
• Pain after the procedure (burning, stabbing pain where breast was removed)

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Obesity
• Poor nutrition
• Smoking
• Recent or chronic illness
• Use of certain medicines or dietary supplements

Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before the surgery.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site
• Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain
• Nausea and/or vomiting that you cannot control with the medicines you were given after surgery, or which persist for more than two days after discharge from the hospital
• Redness, warmth, swelling, stiffness, or hardness in the arm or hand on the side of the body where the lymph nodes were removed
• Swelling and/or pain in your legs
• New, unexplained symptoms
• Lumps or skin changes in remaining tissue on mastectomy side
• Lumps, skin changes, or nipple drainage in remaining breast
• Depression

In case of an emergency, call 911.