Plastic surgery

Question

Hello,

I am 19 years old and I have CF. I am pretty petite and therefore my bust size is very small and I have been suffering from this for years. In general, is there anything to be said against having a breast augmentation done by plastic surgery for a CF individual?
Thank you.

Answer

Hello,
Dear questioner,

You ask for risks which could occur in your case – being a CF patient – in connection with a breast augmentation surgery. A breast augmentation is (in your situation) a surgery that would be done exclusively for aesthetic reasons and thus is not a medically indicated surgery (since a medically approved necessity is not available). A medical indication for a breast surgery is existent if, e.g., the female breast is dysplastic or after the amputation of the breast due to breast cancer. (Noted in the margin: In Germany the costs for such a surgery are only covered by the health insurance company if a medical indication is available). If a plastic surgery is done without a medical reason, all possible side effects and complications have to be considered in an exceptional way. If there is an underlying disease like CF it is basically recommended to refrain from all surgeries that are not medically necessary.

Prior to deciding for breast surgery, particularly at your young age, we would strongly advise you to seek extensive consultations not only with the surgeon, but also with your CF doctor or another trusted physician, perhaps also with a psychologist. In these consultations, the true reasons for the wish to have a breast surgery done should be discussed so that a fully matured decision can be made. In some cases, a young person can change his/her decision on short notice so that it should be tried to not make permature decisions which could be regretted at a later point of time.
Back to the mere medical aspects. In addition to the anaesthetic risk which we cannot estimate without knowing all your findings we also want to mention that a breast augmentation is physical intervention that involves the risk of infection, and any kind of infection is unwanted in CF. Most implants are made out of silicone. It also has to be mentioned as a possible side effect and risk that such an implant can burst. In addition to the usual surgery risks there is the risk of a so called capsular fibrosis.

As a reaction to the foreign body, the human body builds a capsule of cicatricial tissue. In some cases this capsule can result in hardening of the breast and in extreme cases in deformation and permanent pain. Capsule fibrosis is the most frequent complication after an implantation of silicone breast implants (they occur in 4 out of 100 women). The risk is bigger for slim women (thin dermal coat) and if the implant is big. Surgery that does not go well can result in asymmetric breasts; sometimes implants can get out of the place so that a second surgery becomes necessary for aesthetical reasons.

Dear questioner, as you can see we are of the opinion that even without CF such an intervention at your age should be reconsidered very much. However, we do understand your problems and sorrows and take them seriously.

You could probably improve your physique a bit to your satisfaction through nutritional and sports therapy in addition to the basic treatment. Try it!

Best regards,
Dr. Christina Smaczny

14.09.2010