Seroma after liposuction. Is there anything I can do besides compression and aspiration? (Photo)

Question

I had liposuction and ab sculpting on 6/18. The results were awesome, but in the last few days I've developed a seroma. I can push fluid down the middle of my abs into a pocket that developed on the right side of belly button. I just aspirated 15 ml of pink tinged fluid out of that pocket. I'm using compression and limiting my activity. No signs of infection. Is there anything I can do besides compression and aspiration? My surgeon is out of town.

Luis Tactuk Simó, MD · Answer

Hello, the treament you've been receiving is right. It will eventually run dry, just keeo the preassure and you'll be fine. Best wishes

Joshua Lampert, MD, FACS · Answer

Any amount of significant tissue undermining can cause a seroma.  Thoroughly suctioning any area with a liposuction cannula can actually create a significant amount of undermining.  When you "skin your knee" or get a scrape of the skin, open wounds can ooze straw colored fluid or serous fluid.  Wounds under the skin weep similar fluid that can mix with a small amount of blood and create a seroma, or pocket of sero-sanguinous fluid.  Seromas can occur after liposuction.  For larger volumes of liposuction, many surgeons leave drains in an attempt to avoid or prevent seroma accumulation.  Smaller seromas typically resolve with serial aspiration and compression.  If the seroma does not resolve, and the seroma pocket is large, a drain may need to be placed.  I strongly recommend to see an ABPS board certified plastic surgeon to evaluate any seroma after surgery.  An ABPS board certified plastic surgeon could perform seroma aspirations, if necessary.  A responsible surgeon would have arranged for coverage of his patients while on vacation.  I recommend that you call you surgeon's office to arrange to see the covering surgeon ASAP.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

My guess is that you have laser assisted liposuction since conventional liposuction doesn't yield seromas. Treatment for all seromas is sequential aspiration until the fluid quits accumulating.

Derby Sang Caputo, MD · Answer

Hello. Seromas are among the most frequent minor complications after liposuction. What you are doing is perfect right now. Maybe some ultrasound therapy can improve the situation. Remember that time will be your best ally to remove seromas.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

Not much else will help. Beside DOING no activity to allow the tissue to stick. I do not agree that only laser lipo causes serum. The worst lipo serum I ever saw was from VASER lipo......

Mats Hagstrom, MD (license on probation) · Answer

Your plastic surgeon should have someone backing him or her up to take care of potential complications after surgery.I would contact your plastic surgeon and ask him or her to refer you to a colleague.Aspirating your own seroma is highly inappropriate.It is not something I would do myself nor would I ever recommend.The typical treatment for a seroma is aspirations done on a regular basis.Early and frequent intervention minimizes the chance of developing a chronic or permanent seroma.Best of luck,Mats Hagstrom, M.D.

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Seroma after liposuction. Is there anything I can do besides compression and aspiration? (Photo)

Answers (6)

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