Risks

Breast cancer surgery is a safe procedure, but it carries a small risk of complications, including:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Collection of fluid at the operative site (seroma)
• Pain
• Permanent scarring
• Loss of or altered sensation in the chest and reconstructed breasts
• Wound healing problems
• Arm swelling (lymphedema)
• Risks related to the medicine (anesthesia) used to put you in a sleep-like state during surgery, such as confusion, muscle aches and vomiting