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How Much Fluid Can Seroma Hold?

asked 1 year ago by Aisla T. in SD
Latest answer by Tom J. Pousti, MD
Question viewed 618 times
Tags: female, 200-249cc, seroma

Is there a point to where the pocket of tissue just can't hold anymore and it stops filling? I have drains in still, but the tubing is starting to show some tear and might give out soon. I'm still outputing about 200cc a day. If it breaks, in 3 days will I have 600cc of fluid in my tummy? What will happen? What's the biggest seroma you've dealt with?

7 answers to How Much Fluid Can Seroma Hold?

Seroma after Tummy tuck

The size of the seroma is really not that important. The fact that it is being drained is important. Removal of the serous fluid is necessary to allow for the skin flap to re-adhere to the underlying muscle/fascia. Otherwise you may develop a chronic seroma cavity that would require excision of scar tissue (further surgery) to treat. If your current drains become nonfunctional additional drains may need to be placed. Best wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.poustiplasticsurgery.com

Maximum size of a seroma

Patients who undergo tummy tuck should be aware of the recovery process and the possible risk of complications. One possible complication is a collection of fluid underneath the skin called a seroma. A small seroma may go away on its own but a large collection may require drainage or a small surgical procedure to evacuate completely. The most important aspect in taking care of these collections is addressing them right away. This will prevent them from becoming larger or interfering with... more

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

www.miamiaesthetic.com

Treatment options for a seroma

I have drained more than 500 cc from a seroma but that is not relevant. Even if you put out 200cc per day that does not mean that you will collect 600 cc in 3 days. A seroma can put out more than the cavity from which it arises. In some cases the drain can be responsible for the persistent drainage. In many instances, the drain serves the purpose of allowing the cavity to shrink so that when the drains are removed, the cavity collapses. The seroma may close off or it may require repeated... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

High Output Chronic Seroma

It appears that this is a chronic problem based on the condition of the drain. Unless there is a sharp trend down in your drain output, you should have an informed discussion with your plastic surgeon on re-operation to excise the seroma cavity. This is a known complication of tummy tuck surgery and an unfortunate outcome. It sounds as though another procedure will be necessary to get you on the road to recovery. I wish you all the best. Paul S. Gill, M.D.... more

Paul S. Gill, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

Seromas

200 c's of fluid a day coming out of your drains is a lot of fluid. A seroma can become quite large and it could be several hundred cc's.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Seroma after abdominoplasty

Thanks for the question and sorry to hear you are having problems. In response to your question, the output of the seroma is dependent on several factors, including how large of a dissection plane was made in our particular case. Typically, seroma outputs will decrease over time. However, they can fall into a chronic category as my colleague mentioned, forming a pseudo-bursa, which would require intervention. I strongly suggest following up with your plastic surgeon and discussing... more

Glenn Vallecillos, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon