How long should wound drains stay in?

I typically remove drains in 2 to 3 weeks depending upon the quality of drainage and the amount of drainage.  I would ask your surgeon about this as the specifics of each case are different.  It is always best to ask these questions of your chosen surgeon as recommendations may be different.

Kenneth Hughes, MD

















Los Angeles, CA

Thank you
very much for your question, and congratulations on your upcoming tummy tuck
procedure. The length of time drains stay in place will depend on several
factors, including the surgical technique utilized, the patient’s healing
progress, and the surgeon’s own protocol. In many cases, surgical drains are
only necessary for two to five days post-op, and are usually removed as soon as
possible. If you have any additional concerns, I suggest bringing your
questions to your operating surgeon.

I leave a drain in for 3 or 4 days after a tummy tuck. The drain helps remove fluid that would otherwise accumulate. The surgical method influences how much fluid will develop. If surgeons avoid using cautery for their dissection, there is less fluid accumulation. Most plastic surgeons do use cautery for the dissection and seromas are common and are typically treated with drainage using a needle in the office. Most surgeons use two drains. I use one, but I use scalpel dissection rather than electrodissection, so one drain is enough. If you leave the drains in too long (a week or more) the risk of infection goes up. Also, drains are a nuisance and it is preferable to remove them earlier rather than later. A link is provided in case you wish to read more.

Drains are usually removed after a tummy tuck based on the volume of fluid they produce over a 24 hour period. Our office will remove these drains when their 24 hour output is less that 25cc for the last several days.  Drains/drainsites can become infected so removing them as soon as possible is an important part of the recovery process.  Removing them too  soon can also lead to fluid collections under the abdominal skin called seromas.  You should discuss this issue with your plastic surgeon before surgery so there are no surprises during the recovery process.