If you are having chest pain, chest tightness or difficulty breating at any time, call 911.
Urgent concerns
If you have any of the following urgent concerns, call the number your surgeon gave you at any time (including evenings, weekends or holidays):
-
Swelling that is increasing under your incision. This may be a hematoma.
- Increasing redness, pain or swelling around your incision(s) or drain site. This may be an infection.
- Bright red bleeding from your incision and the bleeding does not stop after you put pressure using a clean cloth or gauze.
- Ongoing bright red bloody discharge from your drain.
- Chills or a fever (temperature above 38°C / 100.4°F).
- You have a complete separation of your incision.
Non-urgent concerns
These concerns are not urgent. Call your surgeon during business hours to set up an appointment if you notice:
- The drain is blocked.
- Drainage from your drain that smells bad or is creamy in colour.
- You have a seroma (fluid build-up)
and it’s causing you pain.
- Any new drainage from your incision(s).
- You have a partial separation of your incision.
- You have a skin reaction to the surgical tapes.
What’s common after surgery
You don’t need to call your surgeon or family doctor if you notice:
- Bruising on the skin of the breast and armpit without swelling.
- A bit of redness right around your drain site.
- A closed incision with a bit of drainage.
- A stitch that you can see or feel at the end(s) of your incision.
- Firmness without bruising where you had a lump removed (lumpectomy).
