There are multiple techniques for tummy tuck. Traditionally this operation is performed with drains. The skin is elevated off of the abdominal wall, the excess is excised, and the skin is draped over the abdomen. This leaves a large area that needs to heal by sticking back down to the abdominal wall. Drains provide a way for the fluid and blood to be evacuated and speed the process of the abdominal skin sticking back to the abdominal wall. If drains are not used, the fluid that is generated by the elevation of the skin is still generated. Those of us that use drains do not believe that simply by quilting the skin to the abdominal wall will prevent the accumulation of fluid. In fact, the quilting would make the fluid accumulate in isolated pockets. Drains are a very useful tool in an abdominoplasty. They are temporary. If they affect the outcome in a negative way, were difficult to manage after surgery, or were permanent, then it would be a topic worth debating. There are surgeons that have good outcomes with drains, and surgeons that have good outcomes without drains. Pick your surgeon based on their outcomes, professionalism, experience, training, ability, not on whether they use drains.
