How many times does a seroma need to be drained before it goes away?

Seromas after any surgical procedure can be a vexing problem for both the patient and the surgeon. Fortunately, most will resolve over time with repeated aspiration. You are still relatively early postop and most likely your problem will resolve without operative intervention. Be patient and follow your surgeons instructions.

Persistant seromas may require an indwelling drain to allow the tissue to heal together and prevent further fluid collection.  The seroma may also represent damage to the salivary glands.  I would have the fluid tested for saliva as this requires a different treatment protocol.  Best of luck.

the key to having a seroma resolve is by aspirating it every other day to decompress the cavity and allow the cavity to obliterate. My only concern is that the cheek fluid collection could also represent a leak of salivary fluid. It should be checked for amylase to make sure that you do not have a salivary gland injury. Otherwise I think frequent aspiration is the key to getting the seroma to resolve in conjunction with a good compression garment. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Seromas are not uncommon after a hematoma has been removed.  The seroma fluid usually needs to be removed several times, and each time there is less fluid.  If it doesn't seem to be resolving, a drain can be put in for a few days.  It will eventually go away and you will heal normally. 

It sounds like your surgeon is taking care of it. Although seromas are rare, they typically resolve in the face/cheek without any impact on the results of your procedure. It is a nuisance and can prolong the recovery. With close follow up, reassurance, and periodic aspiration by your surgeon, it should not have any lasting effect. 

It is possible to develop a seroma after surgery and the time it lasts can vary tremendously.  It sounds as if your surgeon is doing all the correct things to help it resolve, but sometimes it will need to be drained multiple times.  Generally seromas resolve completely over time and they tend to gradually improve each time they are drained.  

It is hard to predict how many times a serum has to be drained.  A compression garment helps reduce the space that the fluid can expand into, so continue to wear the it regularly.  Over time the amount of times and the volume drained should decrease and this should gradually resolve.  Best of luck.Dr. Julie EdweenFacial Plastic Surgeon

Thanks for the question.  Seromas can occur after hematomas.  Frequent drainage will allow the seroma cavity to resolve over time.  The exact number of drainage procedures is variable but typically will decrease over time as the seroma cavity resolves.  The compression garment is also helpful in decreasing the seroma fluid.

Unfortunately no one has the answer to your question.  :(It's a hard thing to say to a patient but no one can predict who is going to get a seroma and how long it will recur.  Have patience, and it should resolve.  I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but I have no additional words!

Thank you for your questions..The seroma has to been drain as many times as it forms, specially if it is very noticeable, some times it is a small one and your body will reabsorb it in time, some other times we need to put a new drain.Hope this helps you.