I Am 4 Weeks Postop and Still Have One Drain, Draining 40-50cc/day. Is That Normal?

asked 1 year ago by Isabelle44
Latest answer by Vivek Bansal, MD
Question viewed 534 times
Tags: 1 month post-op, drainage, normal

How long can the drain stay? I am 5'3, 120 pounds, and had a full TT. No liposuction was needed on my abdomen or flanks, although I did have lipo done on my thighs. What is the reason for so much drainage at 4 weeks?

9 answers to I Am 4 Weeks Postop and Still Have One Drain, Draining 40-50cc/day. Is That Normal?

Drain still in 4 weeks after tummy tuck is not common.

Sometimes persistent drainage is related to excessive activity that prevents the skin flap from adhering to the underlying abdominal wall tissues. Sometimes there may be contamination or sub-clinical infection of the drain itself, which can cause persistent drainage. Removal of the drain is sometimes all that is necessary in this situation, but as often as not, another drain will need to be reinserted. If the drainage is clear and yellowish (not cloudy or foul-smelling), perhaps your... more

Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon

www.mpsmn.com

Tummy Tuck

We usually have our drains at 20cc each or less by day 7-10. This very unusual and should be a concern by your doctor unless there is a condition they are aware of and this is what they expect.

Vivek Bansal, MD
Danville Plastic Surgeon

Prolonged drainage following a tummy tuck

The usual period for leaving drains following a tummy tuck is 4- 6 days. Occasionally this period may need to be prolonged. It is unusual to keep the drains in fo 4 weeks and to still have 40-50cc of drainage per day. You should consult with your surgeon to find out what is happening and to also identify the nature of the drainage. Is it clear, bloody or cloudy? You may need to have a culture taken.

George Lefkovits, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

Long term drain after a tummy tuck

A tummy tuck is a operation where some patients may need a drain for a prolonged period. However in my humble opinion leaving the drain for four weeks is probably counter productive. Some times the presence of the drain may provoke some fluid production. There also may be a risk of infection longer the drain stops in. I prefer to remove the drain after a week at the most and accept the risk of a fluid collection under the skin (called a seroma). Saying that it won't be fair... more

Anindya Lahiri, MBBS
Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

4 weeks after tummy tuck, drain still in

Placing a drain during an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a routine procedure. Depending on the surgeon there may be one drain or multiple drains. Usually the drain comes out around during the first week, but occasionally the surgeon may need to keep it for a longer period of time because the drain may be putting out a significant amount of liquid. In my practice, I tend to remove the drain when they produce less than 50cc a day. However it is still your surgeons’ preference, but... more

S. Ozan Sozer, MD
El Paso Plastic Surgeon

www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com

I Am 4 Weeks Postop and Still Have One Drain, Draining 40-50cc/day. Is That Normal?

Not very common but in my 34 years I have sen this issue in a handful of patients. Best to try to remove old drain and re inert an new one in a minor surgery. Or seek a second in person opinion.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Unusual

It's unusual to keep a drain in that long-I would check with your PS to see what the reason for this is-typically 4-6 days is the average

Edward J. Bednar, MD
Charlotte Plastic Surgeon

Tummytuck

Using a drain is the current standard. It is uncommon to have it stay in for 4 weeks. I recommend antibiotics if the drains are in longer than 2 weeks. Compression is important but most of all that you have not been or not currently overdoing it. I find this to be the most common reason drainage does not come down quickly. Think of a fractured bone that needs to be casted or plasted so the ends can fuse. This is also true with the reconnecting of the skin flap. A variety of other reasons... more

Michael Hueneke, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon

Drain still in four weeks after tummy tuck

We rarely use a drain any longer for tummy tuck, and when we do we like to remove the drain by about five days after. The drain is hard to tolerate longer and becomes an infection risk over a longer period of time. Hard to imagine how you might have fared a month with a drain in place after your tummy tuck. Time to take it out. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd