IS RECONSTRUCTION PAINFUL?

Fear of pain should not be a reason to decide against breast reconstruction.

All procedures whether under local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia are designed to be painless, except for mild discomfort when introducing intravenous channels or local anesthetic. After the procedure, a patient always receives medication that alleviates the pain in the post-operative period.

Nonetheless, patients can feel some discomfort during the recovery process, as the body heals and adapts to the newly reconstructed breast.Injury to subcutaneous nerves and scaring can cause chronic pain that can last for months or even years.Some pain on the chest-wall, axillary region or upper extremity may be due to cancer treatment. This consists of surgery to remove the breast tissue, lymph nodes and especially irradiation.