Woman with Largest Breasts Faces Staph Infection Complication

A Brazilian woman with the largest breasts in the world is experiencing complications following her latest breast surgery.

Sheyla Hershey has undergone more than 30 plastic surgeries, and, according to Fox News in Houston, she suffered her first complication when a severe staph infection reached both of her breasts following her most recent breast augmentation procedure in Brazil earlier this summer.

Hershey, a mom who lives in Houston, said her new surgeon told her she should be concerned for her life because the infection could leak into her bloodstream. To fight the infection, Hershey has had to give herself infusions of intravenous antibiotics every twelve hours and is undergoing further treatment, possibly to remove her implants according to news reports. Hershey’s website, www.sheylahershey.net, provides updates on her condition.

Dr. Michael Will, a cosmetic surgeon near Washington, D.C., and president of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, says that infection related to breast augmentation is rare, and when encountered, the implants frequently need to be removed and replaced at a later date.

He stressed the importance of the consultation between the doctor and patient prior to surgery:

Breast augmentation procedures should be preceded by a comprehensive consultation between the cosmetic surgeon and the patient, where the patient’s concerns and expectations are discussed in relation to the patient’s breast and chest wall anatomy.

An effective evaluation and treatment plan should result in a post-operative outcome that reaches a balance between the patient’s expectations and the surgeon’s surgical and anatomical limitations to yield an esthetic and healthy outcome. When the surgical tissue tension and stress exceed the capacity for normal healing, wound breakdown and infection often develop.

Dr. Branman performs several breast surgery procedures—including breast augmentation, breast lift, and breast implant replacement—in his Little Rock Surgery practice. His website has more information on breast augmentations risks.