How long does it take for drains to come out after a Tummy Tuck?

Hello pradomaria85-Drains generally need to stay in until drainage is less than 30cc or so for a day or two. Every surgeon uses a different guideline and you need to ask your surgeon. You can help hasten getting to this endpoint by minimizing fluid intake and not moving your abdomen, if okay with your doctor. To be thorough for all other readers of this explanation, some of us surgeons no longer use drains, because the abdominal tissues can be sutured to the abdominal wall and minimize the need for drains. But drains also work well and they will be out soon!Good luck.

Every patient has different output so rather than being based on time its based on how much is coming out.  Typically less than 20 in 24 hour period is good but every PS is different and also dependent on how much drainage you have.  Your PS will likely get them out by 2 weeks.

Hello, every surgeon will have different criteria for drain removal.  I don't commonly use drains for tummy tuck surgery but when they are used, I usually remove them once the output is less than 40cc per 24 hours, and never leave them longer than 2 weeks.  I advise my patients not to shower until all drains have been removed for 24 hours.  It is important to obtain this specific advice from your PS since their recommendations may differ.

I usually take out the first drain within the first week.  The second one comes out usually within 2 weeks.  In certain cases, I will do the surgery without drains.

Dear pradomariaHow long drains stay in varies based on many factors. The general rule of thumb is less than 30cc of fluid drained per 24hrs. If you are thin and no liposuction was performed, you can probably have drains removed in 4-5 days. With larger patients, there is more drainage and when you add liposuction, the amount of drainage significantly increases. In my experienced the average case, drains are removed at 1 week. Patients with massive weight loss often need their drains for longer. As you can tell from the range of answers there are many ways to get excellent results.

Hello,There is a trend toward not using drains after tummy tucks. Their purpose was supposed to help the skin (and remaining fat under the skin) adhere to the abdominal muscles, and close the space that was created by the tummy tuck.  A vacuum is created by the drain and fluids escape until the space closes and seals itself.  In actual practice, this can takes 3 days to 3 weeks, on average about a week.  Sometimes it never happens, with a significant amount of fluid being produced daily.  The reason fluids are produced are two-fold: movement and bacterial contamination. Essentially, the more you twist and bend, the more the skin will glide across the muscle, effectively preventing the sealing of the two surfaces together. As time goes on, eventually bacteria contaminate the tissues, gaining access from the drain itself. Today's modern tummy tuck utilizes special sutures or stitches that both help tighten the skin and fix it to the underlying muscle, known as 'quilting' or 'progressive tension' sutures.  These sutures prevent the need for drains, enhance the tightening effect of the tummy tuck on the skin, especially above the belly button, and virtually eliminate the most common complication after tummy tuck surgery, the seroma. This technique is being adopted more and more by plastic surgeons, but many still use drains unfortunately. If you are interested in avoiding them, go on a few consults with surgeons that don't use them.  Best of luck!

I remove JP drains normally on day 7 after the abdominoplasty surgery. Less than 25 cc per drain per 24 hour period is highly recommended!

I like to preform drainless tummytucks. However, each surgeon has their own protocols for drain placement and removal. I would typically remove a drain once it is less than 25cc per 24 hours. You should discuss this with your chosen surgeon. 

I personally don't use drains with abdominoplasty. Surgeons that do will have different philosophies about how long they will stay in. In the end ask your own surgeon what he is anticipating doing in your case.

It differs patient to patient, but generally the surgeon takes out drains 5-7 days post-operation. I suggest asking your surgeon what his/her specific post-operative protocol is. All the best,