Tethering

[hooch1961]

This is question to the Doctors. I had surgery 14 months ago and I have bad tethering on my chest now both sides never had a lot of fat taken 84 one side 88 other.what can I do to have this rectified. 

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

It would be helpful if you could post a few photos of your situation.

To the surgeon, tethering means that the undersurface of the skin has attached itself to the underlying tissues so that there is a pulling effect whenever the arm is moved.  If this is the case, then no matter how little was removed, it may have been too much.  You need a layer of intact fat under the skin to provide a gliding layer for the skin to move over muscle, etc.

You might want to return to your surgeon for a discussion or consider seeking another opinion from a gyne expert in your area.

Good luck!

Dr Jacobs

[hooch1961]

Hi doc. So you are saying that I need some fat grafting?

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Tethering requires release of the tether and then the placement of fat tissue in-between the two raw surfaces.  That tissue can be fat grafts or fat flaps (my preferred method).

Dr Jacobs

[hooch1961]

Can you give me a ball park figure if I come to you please.what you actually do during the procedure and time it takes. Also healing time.

[Dr. Schuster]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by tethering. If it is a band like feeling or visible cords, you can massage like crazy, possibly have some steroid injections, or see a physical therapist who might be able to perform ultrasound, or iontophoresis.

[hooch1961]

It's exactly the way dr jacobs described it.when I raise my arms up the muscles pull the chest in.

[Dr. Schuster]

I think it really depends on how severe it is and exactly what it looks like. Not having photos makes it difficult to say much more. At 14 months after surgery I doubt that steroids are the right answer and could potentially make it worse - so be careful.