Tummy Tuck One Side Swelling and Hardening After 2 Weeks, What Should I Do?

Like all post-operative questions, it is important you see you doctor regularly.  That being said and without photos to view, it is not uncommon to have slightly asymmetrical swelling after surgery, but any major difference could represent a seroma or hematoma, but your surgeon would have mentioned that.

Thank you for your post. Seromas can be painful and cause a cosmetic deformity, as well as sometimes leak. The whole point of drains is to keep a seroma from happening in the first place. If a drainless procedure was performed, and you had a seroma, or you had drains that were pulled and you subsequently had a seroma, then you should be drained, otherwise a capsule builds around the fluid making it permanent. If a capsule builds around the seroma (pseudo bursa or encapsulated seroma) then the only way to remove the seroma is to surgically open the areas and excise the capsule, and close over drains to prevent another seroma from happening. If the seroma is encapsulated and is tight and painful, then it can be confused with just swelling or fat. An ultrasound is useful in distinguishing these and identifying the extent of the seroma. If the seroma is not yet encapsulated, then it is usually loose and has a 'fluid wave' or water bed type feel. Occasionally, a seroma can also become infected, especially if a permanent braided suture was used. This will have a hot, red appearance, and will eventually open up. I have never seen an infection from sterile aspiration of fluid. If seromas continue despite multiple aspirations over an extended period of time, then you need to start thinking about re-openning the incision and excising the entire capsule, both from and back walls, to treat the seroma. Drains need to be placed, internal sutures placed, possibly using a tissue glue or irritant to encourage the tissues to grow together.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Thank you for your question.

You are still very early in the recovery process.  It is common for swelling to be more on one side as the patient heals.  As time goes on, you will start seeing the final results.

I highly recommend that you see your surgeon on a regular basis and let him/her help you through the healing process.

Best Wishes!

At 2 weeks, you are still in the early phases of healing. Having swelling on one side of the abdomen which is greater than the other is not uncommon. Strict adherence to the postoperative instructions, use of any binders if prescribed, and limiting your activities is very important. Be sure to follow up as scheduled with your surgeon.

You are still very early in the healing process and will have a significant amount of swelling still present which can fluctuate considerably from day to day. It may take 6 months or more for most of the swelling and inflammation to resolve.

Regarding the hardness, you should consider following up with your plastic surgeon in the near future.

I know this may not be what you want to hear but it's definitely too early to determine final results.  It's not unusual to experience more swelling on one side versus another. Revisions are sometimes needed with any surgery, but more common with tummy tucks as there are a lot of incisions involved.  The belly button can be revised most likely in the future. I recommend waiting six months for any revisions for my patients.