How Much Fluid Should Be Draining After Tummy Tuck?

Thank you for your question.  Drains are typically removed when there is less than 30cc in the drain for 24 hours.  In most cases, the first drain comes out by day 7 and the second drain by day 14.  Note that the drainage may increase after the first couple of days and the patient moves about more.  Each Board Certified Plastic Surgeon is different.  Best to share the goals with them, and together you will make a plan. 

It’s
normal for patients to have drainage following abdominoplasty surgery.The amount of drainage varies from patient to
patient and depends upon a multitude of variables.These include the extent of the surgical
procedure, activity levels, the amount of intraoperative bleeding, and the use
of tumescent fluid when combined with liposuction. In the
first 24 hours the amount of fluid that drains may be as high as 300cc’s.With time drainage usually slows, and when
the levels drop sufficiently the drains can be removed.In our practice we typically remove drains
when they drop below 25cc per 24 hours. Although
your drainage is definitely on the low side, it’s still within the normal
range.Under these circumstances, you’ll
probably have your drains removed sooner rather than later.If you
have questions about your drainage, it’s important to consult your plastic
surgeon.Your surgeon should be able to
reassure you and alleviate your anxiety.

Drainage tubes are important after abdominoplasty surgery to remove fluid- output can be variable, from 20 ml to 200 or 300 ml per day. This depends on how extensive your surgery was as well as the technique that was used - different methods can minimize drainage. Drain output may be on the higher side if liposuction was done since the "tumescent" fluid that is injected into the fatty layer is not all suctioned out during surgery, so this residual fluid will come out of the drains as well. It is important to keep the drains in until the output has decreased to a certain volume- my rule of thumb is to remove drains when the output is less than 30 ml over a 24 hour period. A little pearl: since skin irritation at the drain sites is common, lidoderm patches (have numbing medicine impregnated into the patches) can help with discomfort.

This is normal.  The amount of fluid will vary day to day and gradually reduce.  The amount may fluctuate depending on your activity and if liposuction was performed.  It is important not to remove them to early.

Thank you for your question.  There is no right amount of draingage after a tummy tuck.  What you have described is entirely normal.  Some patients will have more drainage depending on their weight/BMI, addition of liposuction to the procedure, and extent of tummy tuck.  Some surgeons will use internal “quilting” sutures to help reduce the space under the skin flap which helps reduce drainage as well.  Sounds like you are doing well and hopefully can get your drain out soon.  Good luck. 

It is normal to have a
little bit of drainage after the drain has removed.  The skin wound will need a few days to fully
close and until that happens some fluid can leak.  However, there should not be a large amount
of drainage, nor bright red blood.   If
this happens, go see your surgeon immediately.

Thank you for your post. Whenever there is a potential space in your body, your body tends to fill that space with serous fluid (the yellow type of fluid that also comes out of a 'weeping wound'. This is similar to when you get a blister: the layers of skin separate and fluid is deposited in to the space. In a tummy tuck, the space is in between the skin/fat layer and the muscle layer. Most surgeons will place a drain to remove this fluid while your body is secreting it until the fat layer grows back together with the muscle layer. At that point, no more fluid is secreted into the area, because there is no more space for fluid. The length of time that this takes varies from patient to patient. Some patients heal much faster, thus the layers seal together much faster. Also, the more twisting motion you have in your belly area, the slower the two layers grow back together because they are moving in relation to each other. The fluid coming through the drain can be initially dark red, and eventually clears to pink then yellow. This is because it takes just a little bit of blood to make the fluid dark red. Also, initially, there can be a large amount of fluid (few hundred cc's in the first day is not out of the range of normal) and this should slow down substantially over next few days. Once the fluid slows down to the amount that your surgeon is comfortable with (usually 25-50 cc in 24 hours) then they will be pulled. There is minimal discomfort in pulling the drain in most patients. More recently, 'drain free' surgery has become more popular. Fat layer is sutured down to the muscle layer starting at the ribs and progressively down to the lower incision. This makes the space for the fluid to collect much smaller, and in many patients can have surgery without drains. However, I have seen multiple patients come from other surgeons because they developed a seroma despite the suturing of the tissue. This is not the surgeon's fault, but some patients just do not heal fast enough or put out too much fluid for the body to absorb. Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

The drainage after a tummy tuck is quite variable, and most will have an experience similar to yours with very little output. We do not use drains any longer in tummy tuck, and if the output remains low your surgeon may be encouraged to remove them earlier.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

As my colleagues have suggested, there is great variability in the amount of fluid that comes out over 24 hrs in each drain.  This amount can also vary based on your activity level later.   Please follow your surgeon's drain care instructions.  I recommend stripping each drain and recording each drain's output 2x a day in mLs.   Most surgeons also recommend compressive therapy (i.e. abdominal binder or garment) after surgery.  So don't worry about the amount of drain output - it varies.

Dear newairbags,

The volume of drainage after a tummy tuck can be quite variable. The amount you have is well within the normal range. Having a lower output generally means that your drains will come out sooner rather than later. That is a good thing. Good luck.

Best regards,

Lawrence Tong MD FACS FRCSC