How Comfortable or Uncomfortable Are the Drains Used for Breast Reduction?

I rarely use drains nowadays unless the reduction is very excessive.  

Even when used,  a round drain is not very uncomfortable and is easily removed.

Depending upon the technique and the surgeon, drains are not necessarily needed for a breast reduction. Drains are used to remove fluid from a "dead space" such as during a tummy tuck to prevent fluid accumulation and help the skin to adhere to the abdominal wall.However in a breast reduction they are not necessarily as useful. I personally do not use drains for a breast reduction and have not seen any seromas (fluid buildup).

Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for more details regarding  the use of drains in breast reductions.

Best wishes,

Dr.Bruno

I disagree with some of my colleagues. I routinely use drains in breast reduction surgery and have performed approximately 1500 such procedures. The purpose of the drains is to prevent accumulation of serous fluid which could otherwise disrupt the surgical scar, which would then create an open wound which would have to close secondarily. The drains are not uncomfortable and they are removed in the office easily several days after the procedure. I find that patients have tremendous trepidation about the drains which they later say was unfounded. Let me note that many patients come to me because of my expertise with large reductions and that the greater the extent of the surgery, the more likely it is that drains will be required.

The use of drains for breast reduction surgery is variable from plastic surgeon to plastic surgeon, so I believe their use may not be as important as was once thought.

In most cases, I still use soft suction drains and remove them after a few days, as I see advantages to removing the tissue fluid and/or blood that might accumulate.

These drains are not painful and slide out easily and with minimal discomfort when they are removed.

 

be left in place for more than 24 hours.  The drains are placed at the time of surgery, and they are made out of soft material, and function to remove any build up of fluid after surgery.  Most people are not bothered at all by simply having drains in place for a short period of time, and any discomfort associated with removing the drains can be minimized by using a local anesthetic at the time that the drains are removed.  

Surgical drains are used in all types of surgery, not limited to plastic surgery.  The purpose of drains is to prevent the accumulation of fluid within a surgical wound after surgery.  The decision whether or not to use them varies between surgeons and the type of surgery.  I personally do not use drains in breast reduction surgery. If they are used, they are generally left in place for a short period of time for breast reductions, such as 1-4 days.  There may be mild, very temporary discomfort upon removal which is performed in the office.  I do use drains for abdominoplasties (tummy tucks) and these are generally kept in place approximately one week.  If fluid builds up in a surgical wound and there is no drain in place, a needle aspiration is often performed.  This procedure involves passing a needle through the skin to remove this fluid and aid the healing process.

Drains are not always used in breast reductions. Some plastic surgeons may use them all the time; others never and many - occassionally. I used to use them in virtually all my reductions but rarely do so now. When they are employed, it is at the time of the procedure.

Discomfort associated with them does vary among patients. For most, it is just a nuisance to have them in place though they are at most only associated with mild irritation or discomfort.

Drains are  sometimes used during breast reduction surgery. There placed at the time the procedure. They may cause mild redness/tenderness around entrance site  at the skin. Removal  remove of the drains is done when output is low enough. Local anesthesia can be used at the time of drain removal to minimize discomfort.

Hope this helps.

Drains are something placed during surgery.  They come out through a small hole near the crease under your breasts.  Not all breast reductions use drains.  Some doctors always use them, some never, and some vary depending on the size of the reduction or fattiness of the tissue.

Drains generally stay in a for a day or two.  They can be irritating at where they go through the skin, but are otherwise not painful.  They are removed easily, and the removal tends to feel weird, but not painful.

 

Drains are commonly used with a variety of surgical procedures such as Breast Reduction, Facelift, and Abdominoplasty. They are needed to prevent an unwanted build up of fluid that can occur as an aftermath of these operations that can lead to an infection. The Drain itself is usually a long tube made out of silicon that is placed during surgery into the operative sight beneath the skin and is brought out through a separate stab wound or through one of the incisions used in the operation. The drain then is connected into a small portable suction bulb that essentially vacuums out the unwanted fluid through the drain. This bulb is pinned to the patients clothing and each patient is easily taught how evacuate and measure the fluid collected. To prevent the patient from accidentally pulling out the drain the surgeon usually sutures the drain to their skin surface. This suture can be a source of irritation and does cause some minor discomfort when an inadvertent drag is applied to the drain warning the patient to be careful. Other then some very slight pain on its removal the drain poses no other threat to the comfort of the patient. Except for the smallest of Breast Reductions I always use a drain and 99% of the time can remove the drain on the first day post-op.