What Will Happen After the Mastectomy

What Will Happen After the Mastectomy

Mastectomy patients remain in the hospital an average of 3-8 days. The length of stay depends on which type of mastectomy was performed and whether the you had reconstructive surgery. The primary deciding factor determining the length of hospital stay is how quickly the you recover from surgery.

After a mastectomy it is important that you're  aware of potential complications or side effects of your procedure. It is important to be aware of the potential for infection. You must fully understand how to care for your wound and which steps to take if you feel you may have an infection.

The nursing staff and your physician will look for signs of hematoma (blood trapped within the wound) or seroma (clear fluid trapped within the wound).

Some patients experience soreness from the mastectomy for 2-3 days, whereas others report little to no pain. There may be a slight tugging sensation in the underarm area after the surgery.