How to Gauge How Long You Will Stay in the Hospital/Doctor's Office after Breast Reduction Surgery

How long will you stay in the hospital or doctor’s office after breast reduction surgery? That depends on several factors. Your health and age as well as the scope of the surgery performed all play a part in a doctor’s determination to keep you overnight after breast reduction surgery.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. You may have to stay in the hospital or doctor’s office overnight. Most breast reduction surgery is done as an outpatient procedure, but there are exceptions.
2. Your physical condition will be monitored immediately after the surgery before a final determination of when you can leave is made.
3. Breast reduction surgery that encounters complications may require you stay overnight for additional care and observation.
4. Your age may lead a surgeon to ask you to stay overnight so that your condition can be watched after the operation.
5. Your health and lifestyle may create difficulties in the operation which may lead the surgeon to keep you overnight.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your surgeon ahead of time whether an overnight stay will be necessary. If you have certain complications due to disease or lifestyle you may be asked to stay for observation.
• If a drainage tube was inserted to drain away excess fluid, you may have to stay a little longer so that the tube can be safely removed.
• Regardless of whether you stay overnight, make plans for someone to drive you home from the doctor’s office or hospital after your breast reduction surgery, which doctors will require.