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Drainsare frequently used in the post-operative period in abdominoplasty patients tominimize the potential for seroma formation. Drains are typically left in place for 7-14 days followingsurgery. They are usually removedwhen drainage drops below 25cc per 24 hour period. Themanagement of surgical drainage varies from patient to patient. Each patient has unique surgicalanatomy and surgical procedures are modified for each individual patient forthese reasons. In addition eachsurgeon has his own drain protocols. In some patients, drainage may persist for longer periods of time,especially if patients are physically active. When drains are removed to early, there may be an increasedcomplication rate. This mightresult in seroma formation which requires multiple aspirations or replacementof the drain. Although drains seemto be a major nuisance, they serve a very important function in mostabdominoplasty patients.
We typically use three drains because it results in fewer complications in the long term. The first drain typically comes out at 7 days, the second at 9 days, and the third at 14 days. This minimizes the chance that will be a hemotma or seroma as things heal. However, this all depends on the amount of drainage you have.
Thank you for your question! On average patients have the drains for 2 weeks post surgery. Removal of the drains is dependent on the 24 hour totals of fluid that the body is producing. Best of luck!
I almost always place drains with an abdominoplasty; while a mini-abdominoplasty without liposuction may not warrant drain placement, a full tummy tuck with liposuction has more potential to create fluid collections under the skin. The drains provide an egress point for the fluid as your body is healing, Think about a scrape on your knee. Once it stops bleeding, you will note some clear yellow liquid on your bandaid; this is the type of fluid your body weeps with an injury. Now imagine the surface area of "injury" with a tummy tuck. That same kind of fluid will weep, and you don't want it to collect in a pocket under the skin - the drains do a good job of providing an exit point. As your knee scrape heels, it weeps less and less fluid. Similarly, as your abdomen heals, it will weep less and less fluid, making the drains no long necessary. I usually place two drains for an abdominoplasty with flank (love handle) liposuction; one drain is usually removed at about 1 week and the other drain is usually ready to come out closer to 2 weeks.
Thank you for your question. Drains serve an important purpose after tummy tuck: to prevent seroma, or fluid collection, in the area of operation. Most patients typically keep the drains for 1-2 weeks. I allow my patients to shower with the drains in place, they can be concealed beneath loose clothing, and are essentially painless to remove.
Hello Time4meTX, Thank you for your questions about how long drains stay in after a tummy tuck. This is a very common question. There is no "magic" number of days the drains stay in after a tummy tuck. Drains are removed when their output is low. Different plastic surgeons have different parameters on when drains should be removed. In my Beverly Hills plastic surgery practice, I remove drains when their output is less than 30 mL per drain over a 24 hour period for two consecutive days. If you had a "small" tummy tuck, drains are removed 7 to 10 days after surgery, on average. If you had a "large" tummy tuck, drains may stay in for 2 to 3 weeks, on average. I hope that I have answered your questions regarding how long, on average, drains stay in place after a tummy tuck. If you have any more questions regarding the tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, please contact my office. Sincerely, Dr. Katzen.
