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More about Plastic, Cosmetic, and Reconstructive Surgery:
Definition Purpose Precautions Preparation Aftercare Risks Normal results Resources |
The risks associated with plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgery include the postoperative complications that can occur with any surgical operation under anesthesia. These complications include wound infection, internal bleeding, pneumonia, and reactions to the anesthesia.
In addition to these general risks, plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgery carry specific risks:
- formation of undesirable scar tissue
- persistent pain, redness, or swelling in the area of the surgery
- infection inside the body related to inserting a prosthesis; these infections can result from contamination at the time of surgery or from bacteria migrating into the area around the prosthesis at a later time
- anemia or fat embolisms from liposuction
- rejection of skin grafts or tissue transplants
- loss of normal feeling or function in the area of the operation (for example, it is not unusual for women who have had mammoplasties to lose sensation in their nipples)
- complications resulting from unforeseen technological problems (the best-known example of this problem was the discovery in the mid-1990s that breast implants made with silicone gel could leak into the patient's body)
— Rebecca J. Frey
