I still have my drains and have been 25cc on each side for the past 10 days. Is it safe to have them removed? I'm still wearing my garmet and binder day and night and can't get it to be lower. My activity is low and i seat all day at home and only walk very little. My doctor wants it lower than 25cc. Im afraid if drains are remove at 25cc on each side I may have a seroma later on... Thank you in advance
January 23, 2018
Answer: Drain removal Thank you for your question.Every surgeon has their own specific requirements for drain removal. The drains should be under 25cc for at least 3 days before even considering removing them. I would call their office and ask if you are where they want you to be, since you say it has been this amount for 10 days. Good luck with recovery.
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January 23, 2018
Answer: Drain removal Thank you for your question.Every surgeon has their own specific requirements for drain removal. The drains should be under 25cc for at least 3 days before even considering removing them. I would call their office and ask if you are where they want you to be, since you say it has been this amount for 10 days. Good luck with recovery.
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January 24, 2018
Answer: How low should drainage be in my drains to have them removed after #tummytuck surgery? Every surgeon has a different approach here. Some don't use drains at all (though I think some of them will falsely claim to never get a seroma), and others keep drains routinely in for 2-3 weeks. Most surgeons who do use drains use somewhere between 25-30cc as the daily threshold. One could argue that once you get to a stable amount like 25cc, the presence of the negative pressure from the suction may be keeping lymphatic channels OPEN by providing a pressure "sink" for them to leak into, and that the drains should just be removed. If a seroma then accumulates, it can be drained with a needle and compression increased externally. Often 1-3 of these needle drainages are necessary to resolve the issue definitively. However, you are unlikely to talk your surgeon into changing his/her protocol so it is best to follow the surgeon's instructions.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
January 24, 2018
Answer: How low should drainage be in my drains to have them removed after #tummytuck surgery? Every surgeon has a different approach here. Some don't use drains at all (though I think some of them will falsely claim to never get a seroma), and others keep drains routinely in for 2-3 weeks. Most surgeons who do use drains use somewhere between 25-30cc as the daily threshold. One could argue that once you get to a stable amount like 25cc, the presence of the negative pressure from the suction may be keeping lymphatic channels OPEN by providing a pressure "sink" for them to leak into, and that the drains should just be removed. If a seroma then accumulates, it can be drained with a needle and compression increased externally. Often 1-3 of these needle drainages are necessary to resolve the issue definitively. However, you are unlikely to talk your surgeon into changing his/her protocol so it is best to follow the surgeon's instructions.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
