My Doctor Aspired Fluid but Nothing Came Out - What Now?

asked 1 year ago by cutie228 in ocean springs, MS
Latest answer by Sugene Kim, MD
Question viewed 605 times
Tags: fluid, scared, swelling

i got tummy tuck four months ago....but my stomach look really big after taking a needle to aspire fluid nothing came out my doctor told me to wear my garment again to see whats going on if it will come down or not..im really scared it will stay that way....

11 answers to My Doctor Aspired Fluid but Nothing Came Out - What Now?

Bump after Abdominplasty

Any lump or bump or fullness may be due to fluid (sermoa, hematoma, etc), swelling, retained fat, failure of diastasis repair, etc. So, there are many issue which you may have. If you had a sermoa or hematoma, fluid should have been aspirated. However, sometimes the fluid is deep or hard to detect and an Ultrasound or CT scan is needed to identify it. If this is the case, a radiologist can use the Ultrasound to direct the needle directly into the fluid to drain it... more

David Shafer, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

Fluid in the abdomen after a tummy tuck

You might have a seroma and it was just missed by the doctor. Get an ultrasound to check and have the radiologist aspirate it under ultrasound guidance if there is fluid. If there is no fluid you need to discuss the result with your doctor.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Seroma?

Why is your doctor sticking a needle into your abdomen? DO you have a seroma or do you feel the belly is distended? Only he can answer this.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

"Big Stomach" after a tummy tuck

You may have a "big stomach" after a tummy tuck from 1) seroma, a fluid-collection, 2) bulging from abdominal content, or 3) residual upper abdominal fat. You should have ultrasound to make you sure that your fullness is not secondary to seroma. If it is, the fluid can be aspirated under ultrasound-guidance and you should wear a compression garment and limit activities afterwards.

Sugene Kim, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Fullness after a tummy tuck

Many things may cause persistent fullness following a tummy tuck. Depending upon the specifics of the procedure this could be something as simple as swelling or a collection of fluid (seroma). Other causes which are less common include a loosening of the muscle repair (usually from a broken suture) or inadequate removal of fat/tissue. If aspiration does not remove any fluid but a seroma is still considered, an ultrasound may be performed to identify the fluid and even assist in aspirating it... more

David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

Distention after tummy tuck.

Persistent distention after tummy tuck can be caused by quite a few things. The most commmon is a seroma. Other causes include retained fat, hematoma, abscess, failure of diastasis (muscle) repair, hernia, etc. If your doctor has attempted an aspiration and nothing has come out, a diagnostic study such as an ultrasound or CT scan should shed some light to the problem. If there is a fluid collection, you can even get it aspirated or a drained placed during the diagnostic study... more

Kenneth Bermudez, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

My doctor tried to aspirate fluid after tummy tuck- no luck

If you still have a protruberant abdomen 4 months after abdominoplasty, a number of things can be contributing to this look. you may have a seroma, and I agree that you should get an ultrasound to determine if this is the cause. If there is no fluid, you may have a fatty abdomen at the lower aspect, you may have laxity of your abdominal muscles, or you may have scar tissue. You need to be evaluated by your Plastic Surgeon to discuss your options.

Amy T. Bandy, DO
Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

Doctor Tried to asapirate Fluid from Tummy but Nothing Came Out - What Now?

Regarding: "My Doctor Aspired Fluid but Nothing Came Out - What Now? i got tummy tuck four months ago....but my stomach look really big after taking a needle to aspire fluid nothing came out my doctor told me to wear my garment again to see whats going on if it will come down or not..im really scared it will stay that way...." At four months after surgery, it would be unusual to have a fluid collection (seroma) but not impossible. Trying to remove it with syringe aspiration is more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

My Doctor Aspired Fluid but Nothing Came Out - What Now?

Obtain a scan to see if there is a fluid/air level in the subcutaneous plane. Than aspiration under radiologic scan can be done. From MIAMI DR. Darryl j. Blinski

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Swelling following tummy tuck

If there is swelling caused by free fluid in the abdomen (a seroma) it is easily removed in the clinic by putting a needle in. However, if nothing comes out, this either means that there was no free fluid and it was just swelling in the tissues (or fat) or that the needle did not hit the right spot. Either way, I would not be too concerned at this stage. Whether there is free fluid in the form of seroma, or generalised swelling, it will subside on its own with time... more

Jonathan J Staiano, MBBS
Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Seroma after tummy tuck

Typicall we will use needles like he did looking for a seroma or fluid of some sort. Four months out you typically would have felt a swooshing sensation if there was fluid in there. Some people can have persistent swelling and it has nothing really to do with anything that you can poke into to drain. Often, some are fuller than they thought prior to surgery but this if for the heavier framed patients. Difficult to tel if that's your case. Best wishes, more