Mr Stephen Salerno is a highly qualified and experienced surgeon and he uses a team of trusted and certified medical professionals for his surgeries to ensure the safety and well-being of his clients.
Even with the highest standards of care, all surgeries have a degree of risk so it is sensible as part of your decision-making to understand the risks and possible complications.
When you meet with Stephen, he will discuss the risks specific to your procedure. If you have any questions about the risks and potential complications of your procedure, Stephen and his team are happy to help.
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[accordion_content title=”General complications”]
These complications can occur with any type of surgery and are not specific to just plastic surgery. Essentially any one that undergoes any type of procedure is subject to these complications and it can be under general anaesthetic, local anaesthetic and sedation or local anaesthetic only.
These include:
Anaesthetic complications like breathing difficulties, heart problems or allergic reactions to medications given in the anaesthetic
Pain
Bleeding
Infection
Wound breakdown
Scar
Deep Vein Thrombosis or pulmonary embolism
Heart attack
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[accordion_shortcode title=”Breast surgery”]
[accordion_content title=”Breast Augmentation”]
Scar usually under the breast – about 5cm
Seroma around the implant
Capsular contraction
Implant leakage or deflation
Rupture of the implant
Auto immune disorders
Palpable implant
Secondary ptosis or dropping of the implant on the chest wall or muscle
Loss of sensation of the nipple and breast
Asymmetry of the breasts
Silicoma around the breast or arm pit if there is leaking of silicon
Deformation of the implant when placed under the breast muscle
Recent associations with Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma – this is very rare
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[accordion_content title=”Breast lift or reconstruction”]
Bleeding
Haematoma – blood clot in the area of surgery
Wound breakdown
Inflammation and swelling in the surgical sites
Infection
Pain
Seroma
Numbness in the area where flaps are taken
Scar in donor sites and on the breast reconstruction site
Capsular contraction when implants are used
Asymmetry – uneven sides
Skin and fat necrosis – skin and fat death in the area of surgery due to deficient blood supply
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[accordion_content title=”Breast Reduction”]
Scarring: this will be discussed in detail in the consultation with diagrams and photos
Scar hypertrophy or keloids – thick obvious presence of the scar and can sometimes be very painful;
Decreased nipple-areolar sensation
Necrosis of nipple, skin and fat. Necrosis means death of tissue due to a poor blood supply and this may be evident a the time of surgery or a couple of days later. If the nipple or areolar dies then this will be replaced with a skin graft or if allowed to heal of its own accord it will be replaced with white to pick scar tissue and the colour of the nipple-areola will be lost.
Asymmetry
Seroma
Pain
Decreases ability to breast feed
Recurrent ptosis or droopiness of the breast with time
Reaction to sutures and stitch abscess
Cyst formation
Mondors Disease: a rare condition of inflammation along scar associated with surgery
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[accordion_content title=”Gynaecomastia”]
Pain
Numbness of the skin and nipple areolar area
Seroma collection of fluid underneath the skin.
Haematoma which is a collection of blood in the area where the tissue has been removed from
Drains depending on the extent of the removal of tissue
Skin necrosis (death) when too much skin and fat is removed
Fat necrosis (death) again f too much fat is removed and the blood supply significantly reduced
Scar. If liposuction then several small sub centimetre incisions and scars on the chest wall on each side and if done with open incision then usually a scar around the lower half of the nipple to remove the breast tissue from.
Asymmetry
If extensive liposuction then can have cannula tunnels visible and tethering of the skin to the chest wall
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[accordion_shortcode title=”Body surgery”]
[accordion_content title=”Tummy tuck / abdominoplasty”]
Pain
Numbness of the skin especially around the belly button
Seroma: collection of fluid underneath the skin flaps of the tummy. This is the most common complication
Skin necrosis (skin death) when too much skin and fat is removed
Fat necrosis (fat death) again f too much fat is removed and the blood supply significantly reduced
Scar mostly transverse across the lower pubic area, around the belly button and also occasionally a small vertical up going scar.
Asymmetry
Malposition of the umbilicus as can be a little off centre
Elevation of the pubic hair line, which if needed, can be treated with IPL laser following surgery.
Nerve injury around the flanks and lower abdomen
Drains will be placed, usually 2, and can be in place for several days to 7-10 days.
Dog ears which are excess skin at the edges of the scar around the hips, which can be modified at a revision procedure if needed.
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[accordion_content title=”Liposuction”]
Pain
Scar from small incisions where the liposuction cannulae are inserted
Contour irregularities from the liposuction cannulae
Swelling post operative – can be prolonged
Bruising
Asymmetry or unevenness in the skin and fat content from certain areas of liposuction
Skin discolouration
Numbness in the skin overlying the liposuction areas
Seromas – collection of fluid underneath the liposuction areas
Skin necrosis and fat necrosis- essentially skin death and fat death in liposuction areas if too much liposuction is done
Skin redundancy – post liposuction from much fat removed and failure of skin to retract, especially when large volumes of liposuction is performed
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[accordion_content title=”Body Contouring”]
Pain
Numbness of the skin especially around the areas that have been operated on. For example with an arm reduction the inside of the arms can feel numb and with a thigh reduction the inside and front of the thigh can feel numb.
Seroma collection of fluid underneath the skin flaps. This is the most common complication.
Skin necrosis (death) when too much skin and fat is removed
Fat necrosis (death) again of too much fat is removed and the blood supply significantly reduced
Scar will be discussed in detail and shown on diagrams. Most scars settle well however can sometimes be enlarged or stretched and hypertrophied. Rarely they can keloid and also become painful
Asymmetry. Uneven flaps of skin and fat on the sites operated.
Nerve injury around the flanks and lower abdomen, arms and thighs
Drains will be placed, usually 2, and can be in place for several days to 7-10 days.
Dog ears which are excess skin at the edges of the scar around the hips, which can be modified at a revision procedure if needed.
With lower limb and upper limb contouring surgery, when operating in deeper planes of tissue lymphoedema can occur which is permanent swelling in the tissues. A more rare complication
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[accordion_shortcode title=”Face surgery”]
[accordion_content title=”Facelift / Rhytidectomy”]
Pain
Bruising
Seroma: fluid under the facial skin flaps
Asymmetry
Swelling
Numbness on the skin of the face
Nerve damage particularly the facial nerve which supply the facial expression muscles of the face
Permanent change to the hairline around the temple area, side-burn area and behind the ears and neck area
Skin and fat necrosis. This is death of the skin or fat on the fat due to excess skin or fat removal and affecting the blood supply to the skin flaps of the face.
Abnormal facial contour if the skin is pulled too tightly
Tightness in the face and neck area
Submandibular gland prominence. These are the glands under the jaw line.
Broken capillaries and pigmentation on the face of the skin
Scars which are detailed in the consultation, these vary depending on the type and extent of the facelift performed
Scar hypertrophy or keloid scarring. This is prominent and painful scars.
Lumpiness in the skin flaps on the face.
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[accordion_content title=”Eyelid / Blepharoplasty”]
Post operative pain
Scarring
Blindness – very rare
Difficulty in closure of eyes usually because too much skin has been excised
Dry eyes, most common post-operative and usually settles after several weeks
Watery eyes – less common that dry eyes and more associated with lower eyelid surgery
Ectropion which is lower eyelid tethering which shows the sclerea or whites of the eye a little more.
Blurring of vision
Ptosis of the lower eyelid which is drooping of the eyelid applies to both upper and lower
Lagopthalmos which is inability to fully close the eyelids and can lead to dry eyes and corneal ulceration or keratopathy
Prolonged swelling of the upper eyelids is very common and most swelling settles after 2-4 weeks however takes a total of about 3 months to really settle down
Pigmentation of the lower eyelid
Asymmetry or uneven eyelids
In time excess skin will recur
Chemosis – swelling of the conjunctiva of the eye
Sub-conjunctival haematoma which is bruising of the white part of the eyeball
Visual changes
Inclusion cysts on the scar line
Corneal abrasions which occur if any trauma to the eyeball during surgery
Loss of eye lashes, especially in the lower eyelid when lower eyelid surgery is conducted
Residual fat pad herniation especially in the inner pockets of the upper eyelids
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[accordion_content title=”Ear pinning / Otoplasty”]
Tenderness of the ear and scar on the back of the ear
Asymmetry
Pain
Numbness of the ear and skin around the ear
Swelling of the ears
Scar and especially hypertrophy or keloid formation of the ear
Exposure of sutures
Bruising
Cauliflower ear- usually if a large degree of bleeding post operative
Skin complications like necrosis (death of skin)
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