One Less Worry about Gynecomastia Surgery

Generally speaking, the people who come in to consult us about a gynecomastia surgery are much better informed than patients were years ago. But given the range and quality of information available on the Internet, some also bring in misconceptions, anecdotes, and ideas that only serve to create anxiety.
Here’s one guy’s worry our patients don’t need to be concerned about: DVT. We ran across a question online about the risk, and the unfortunate prospective patient seemed quite alarmed. Here’s information that may help to put guys with man boobs at ease.

First, what is DVT?

The acronym stands for “deep vein thrombosis.” According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s a condition caused by a blood clot (thrombus) that forms deep inside body tissues, usually in the legs. The most serious repercussions happen when a clot or pieces break loose, travel to the lungs and cause a blockage.
There are a variety of risk factors for DVT. Some you might guess obesity, advanced age, genetics and so on. Perhaps the reason the prospective patient was worried is that prolonged bed rest and surgery are also risk factors. But while we can’t say there’s absolutely no risk of DVT with man boob surgery, we can assure guys that the risk is quite low.

How We Avoid DVT Risk

In our practice in Boca Raton, DVT has never shown up as a complication of gynecomastia surgery. Here’s how we make sure to maintain that track record.

• Compression boots: While under anesthesia, our patients wear compression boots that inflate and deflate intermittently. This helps keep blood from pooling in the legs.
• Twilight anesthesia: Instead of using general anesthesia— which slows the process of waking up after surgery and can leave guys feeling like they just want to stay in bed and nurse their “hangover”— we use IV sedation, also called twilight anesthesia and sedation anesthesia. This means patients are completely but lightly asleep during the procedure. They feel and remember nothing, but are awake and alert within a few minutes of the last suture going in.
• Twilight sedation requires a bit more effort and expertise on the part of a surgical team. The anesthesiologist must be experienced and vigilant, and the whole operating team needs to work together very smoothly to anticipate needs and respond to changes. Using general anesthesia is admittedly easier, that’s why most practices choose to go that route. But we believe the advantages of twilight sedation for patients outweigh the extra challenges. And, since most of us have been together so long, it’s second nature for us.
• Duration of surgery: Man boob surgery with us takes no more than 90 minutes, and usually less. We create a plan for each guy well before we enter the operating room, yet we remain flexible with all tools at hand just in case we find something unexpected. Our three plus decades of performing successful gynecomastia surgery have us ready for just about anything. After our M.D. anesthesiologist brings patients fully awake following surgery, generally in about 15 minutes, they can walk over to the recovery room under their own power and boost circulation immediately.
• Recovery at home: We encourage our patients to be up and moving around at home, even during the first few days following surgery. Of course, common sense applies! Lifting, straining and being too active can cause additional swelling and bruising, so we advise guys to strive for the right balance.

Good Ol’ Dr. Internet

The Internet is the place we all turn to for information on just about anything these days. But, when it comes to patients trying to diagnose themselves, doctors often view it as a mixed blessing. Patients come to appointments armed with everything from a fairly accurate overview of the issue they’re facing to completely bogus information that can be difficult for a doctor to counter. And the more disturbing the possible condition, the more “Dr. Internet” can actually cause undue hysteria.

If you’ve got a case of man boobs and you’re in the midst of figuring out what to do, by all means, do research online. But be sure you pay attention to the sources, take input from individuals with a grain of salt and avoid leaping to conclusions. And please consider coming in to see us! Gynecomastia is one of our specialties, and we thoroughly enjoy educating the guys we meet. Fill out our short online form and we’ll be in touch.