Raymond A. Faires, MD (retired)

Clots are common in drain tubes and bulbs after surgery.  They usually lyse and liquify with time.  If you cannot get the drain open by milking it, you may need to see a surgeon about replacing the bulb under sterile technique.  It will be imperative if you begin to leak around the drain tube.

The use of metal clips (ligaclips or hemoclips) are quick and effective ways to ligate larger vessels that might bleed with cautery alone.  They are not a cause of infection.  Any foreign material (including sutures) may surface in response to the body's natural healing process. The belly button can be a problematic area of healing, but should close down and heal with local wound care.  If there is fever, redness, or persisting drainage, contact your surgeon for assistance.

8 months is plenty of time for minor wound problems to resolve.  If your drainage is thick and your abdomen is swelling I would suspect a deeper infection possibly a stitch abscess deep in the muscle.  You should have your surgeon evaluate this further.

I agree with the previous posts.  One other item to check with your surgeon is whether he used a Gore tex purse string suture.  Those are difficult to clear without removing the entire suture. 

Your breast wounds appear to be closing. The key to speedy healing is a moist environment.  The sulfa in Silvadene is micronized and not absorbed, but it has been reported to slow epithelialization. A bland ointment like Aquaphor works best for me.