Hi I wasn’t sure where to put this. I had mx with implant strattice mesh over 2 years ago now because I had DCIS. I Was doing fine and moving forward as best anyone can. 4 weeks ago I had these pink bloches appear, one main big area and smaller ones over reconstructed breast. I went to my breast surgeon, who didn’t seem worried but sent me for an ultrasound to be safe. Well that showed thinkening under rash and lymph nodes were up :-(( so they decided to biopsy punch biopsy on red area, then core on lymph nodes. This was a awful week waiting and I was out of my mind with worry. Thank goodness no cancer cells were found on either. The punch biospy showed inflammation and the core biospy on nodes showed that they were reactive nodes. So I was chuffed. So I was sent on my way with 2nd lot of antibotics as breast surgeon feels this is a infection or could be a late reaction to implant/strattice. I’m nearly finished 2nd lot if antibotics and the red patch is still there it quite large and spreads and then fades less towards evening. I know there is swelling there and when the swelling lesson the redness lesson too. But back again next morning. This is the same thing that’s been happening for past 4 weeks. It’s slightly warm but have no temp and fill ok. I know I had a few area of pockets of fluid as was seen on ultrasound but wasn’t enought to drain. So I’m not sure if this is lymphodema or celluities or failing implant. I’m not back to breast surgeon till 10th June but obviously I will need to call. Just really like some advice if anyone else has experience this redness and the outcome. Would IV antibotics help. Really like anyone’s answers xx
Sorry I have just read your post I know I am late answering you but I have the same problem and they mannaged to drain 35mm /ml{ metriec measures is not me }. I have been on antibiotics twice and thistime 2week I do hate taking tablets, have to crush it. My surgeon has said my body is rejecting the implant.Your appt. was for 10th June, I hope all is well with you, but it be interesting if you had the same answer fromyour surgeon.
Look forward of hearing from you.
Take careYil
Hello hay 123 and yil. I had bilateral bc in the summer of 2013 which resulted in bilateral mastectomy & immediate reconstruction with expanders (as didn’t know at that stage if I neeed radiotherapy) in September 2013. As I was large breasted (H cup) I did not need the strattice as my own skin was used to make dermal slings for the expanders to sit it. However, things quickly began to go wrong and I eventually left hospital 3 weeks and 2 days later, after 4 operations, with no reconstruction at all (just my hanging skin left over after bilat skin sparing mx)!
I then had another attempt at recon in January 2014 and when the dressings came off 10 days later it revealed an inflamed red right boob. I was put on oral antibiotics for a week but in that time it got worse and I was admitted to hospital where I stayed for 8 days on IV antibiotics being 3 different types, 4 times a day so I was literally being infused all day (and sometimes night) long! The redness did not fully disappear and tended to rumble on and flare up from time to time. My PS took the decision that I was unsuitable for implant based reconstruction (this was the 5th attempt with expanders) and referred me to another hospital where they did DIEP recon (using your own tissue and fat taken from your tummy). I eventually had this recon done in January 2015 but I’d been having another ‘flare up’ which was worse and more prolonged than the others and in the end my DIEP surgery had to be postponed for 6 days as my skin was so red and inflamed the surgeons would not do the original planned op due to a very high risk of infection. I went to theatre and they removed both expanders which had both got capsular contracture so those also had to be remove and infact the right expander (the flare up side) had actually ruptured and the expander was sat in a slimy, green, gunk but luckily inside the capsule my body had formed to ‘isolate’ it from the rest of me as I would have had septacemia! I had those expanders in for exactly one year and as time went by I became more and more tired and had to sleep more and more just to be able to work and look after my family. Weekends were written off regarding any family time as I spent about 4-5 hours in bed every Saturday and Sunday just to try and recharge as I was so fatigued (this was in addition to sleeping at night)! The surgeons told me, after taking out the expanders and capsules, that they had been making me ill and feel tired as not only was my body fighting a chronic and sustained infection but it had also grown these capsules of scar tissue which completed encapsulated both expanders. Sadly, the very thing that they were supposed to do, i.e. preserve the skin and keep it stretched ready for permanent reconstruction had actually just compromised everything. I ended up having to have half my breast skin cut away (on both sides for symmetry) and the skin from my tummy was stitched into my new ‘breasts’ so the scars are massive and could have been avoided but I’m so glad that I have had the expanders removed as, for me, they were nothing but trouble! I feel so well now and the best I’ve felt in the last 2 years. As my surgeons said, no amount of antibiotics would have ‘cured’ what was going on inside and therefore it just rumbled on! I’m happy for you to pm me if you have any questions or want to see any photo. Hope you have got some answers from your recent consultation! xx
Hiya yil and double trouble
Thanks for your reply, I’m still having issues with reconstruction breast. With area of patches of pinkness. The main area of patch that was punch biospy that should inflammation seem to go up and down depending of heat, stress or whatever I can’t put my finger on. I have little pink bloches that come up then fade to nothing. I went back to breast surgeon in 10th June but second opioion on punch biospy to another patholoigst wasn’t back. Then didn’t seem concern and back again on 7th June. He think it’s a benign issue but doesn’t really know what causing it. I’ll private message you double trouble if that’s ok. Today and yesterday seems lots better but I’ve been like that before and then flares again 
don’t sure what to think.
Hi there all,
I’m so sorry to hear of everyone’s problems. I had a problem with strattice and implant - very similar. I didn’t want to post before as my outcome was not what anyone wanted. I had mine removed 4 months after double mastectomies (the other was fine). I believe red breast is a common occurrence after strattice but only time will tell if it’s an infection. I too had no temperature, and no obvious sign of infection just redness and orange-peel texture of skin. But eventually, the reconstruction went wrong and came out when I was on chemo. It was a horrible, horrible time. We tried everything, the only thing that worked was the steroids (I was taking these for chemo) and made everything appear to settle, but it just masked the problem. I’m thinking of you and wish I could help. Rattles x