Lipo 360 belly button incision is not closed after 6 months. What can be done? (Photo)

Question

6 months PO and the belly button incision is not closed. Tiny leaking at times. No pain.

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEPOBRAS · Answer

At 6 months, a belly button incision that is still open and intermittently leaking should be examined by your operating surgeon or another board-certified plastic surgeon. In the visible photos, there appears to be a small persistent opening in the umbilical area, but a photo cannot show whether this is a superficial delayed-healing spot, a retained suture reaction, a small sinus tract, or infection.

What can be done depends on the cause. Your surgeon may check for a retained stitch, culture any drainage, treat inflammation or infection if present, use local wound care, or perform a small office/surgical revision if a tract or scar pocket is keeping it open. Even without pain, ongoing drainage is not something to ignore. Seek same-day care if you develop spreading redness, warmth, increasing swelling, worsening pain, fever, bad odor, pus-like drainage, or the opening gets larger.

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question regarding the liposuction 360 belly button incision is not closed after six months and what can be done. It appears you have a draining sinus after liposuction. This is not uncommon. It may even be connected to a seroma. Either way, it needs to be surgically excised; this can be done locally in the office. The area is usually anesthetized with lidocaine, and the incision is made around the drainage area. The source is then found and either cauterized or respected. Then the tiny sinus track is absorbed with an absorbable, dissolvable suture. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes in the office. However, it is not normal for a belly button to continue to drain six months after liposuction 360.

Alan Gonzalez, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello @Tasteful215743, thank you for your question. The first thing that I recommend is to talk to your doctor. However, it is necessary to consider several aspects, such as the surgical technique used, and to evaluate if there are other underlying causes at play. The best course of action is to consult one or several board certified plastic surgeon for more information and options tailored specifically to your needs. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD FACS. American Society of Plastic Surgery Member (ASPS), International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science” Member (IFATS), Colombian Society of Plastic Surgery member (SCCP)

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Tasteful215743,
I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what went wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

At six months post op this area should no longer be leaking.  Have your surgeon examine the area for the cause.  A culture of the leaking fluid can be done and appropriate antibiotics ordered if needed.

Douglas Taranow, DO, FACOS · Answer

At 6 months, your surgeon should culture the wound prior to considering revising the scar (cutting out the old scar edges and re-closing the wound).

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

There are generally two reasons why an incision site will not close.
Either there is continued internal drainage which keeps the incision open or the incision is in the skin fold where there is skin on skin contact causing shaping and rubbing. At six months it’s unlikely to have a source of internal fluid that needs to escape from Liposuction. there may be a natural skin fold where the incision was made. you can either try stuffing guys to keep the skin fold from having skin on the skin contact or use paper tape to put lateral traction on the skin to keep the incision or skin edges from touching.
Generally speaking we try to avoid dressings or bandages that seal airflow and encourage incisions to scab over.Your provider should be helping you with this.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD

Lipo 360 belly button incision is not closed after 6 months. What can be done? (Photo)

Answers (7)

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