Is 3 months too long to have a JP drain in?

Having a drain in place  for three months is quite a long time and highly unusual. You should reach out to your surgeon to discuss your concerns . 

Hello,3 months is a long time to have a drain in. Typically we try to get these out by then. Maybe chat with your surgeon about possibilities. Sometimes you will have developed a cavity that will need to be closed off in order to slow the drainage. All the best in your recovery,Dr. BlaggAustin, TX

How long should a drain stay. Thank you very much for this question. Drains are left in a wound cavity to prevent the collection of fluid. However a drain always poses the risk of an infection. That is why drains should normally be removed after some days to weeks. There are different schools of thinking and some surgeons to leave drains in for more than two weeks. However three months is highly unusual. I would suggest for you to speak with your plastic surgeon because the secretion of 70 mL fluid will probably remain. This will however stop as soon as the drain is being removed. Have a wonderful rest of the day and greetings from the beautiful island of Jamaica.

It is unusual to require a drain for three months after a tummy tuck. Typically they are needed only 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your surgeon and to explore reasons why you are continuing to produce so much fluid.

This does sound unusual. Discuss with your surgeon and perhaps the area needs a sclerosing injection.

It is unusual to have a drain this long. Discuss with your surgeon what options are available to obliterate the potential cavity.  Some surgeons will instill tetracycline or or similar to scar down the cavity to avoid continued fluid build up.  Other times, surgery may be needed to excise the cavity. 

Thank you for your question. Three months of drain time is long. Please discuss the details with your PS and alternative possibilities.

Hi,
It is very unusual to have a drain 3 months after a tummy tuck. Some patients do develop seroma (fluid collection) which can usually be drained in the office with a needle. If the seroma drainage is very high then drains can be put back in but this is unusual.
If your output is only 70ml/ day at three months I would speak to your PS about having the drain removed.
Many surgeons, including ourselves do not use drains at all in tummy tuck.

Hi and welcome to our forum!
I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties following your abdominoplasty. A seroma is a collection of tissue fluid accumulating at the
operative site. It is caused by injury to the soft tissues. When blood vessels
and lymphatics get damaged through the normal course of the operative
procedure, the body mounts an inflammatory response, resulting in the
production of clear fluid. Normally, the body absorbs this fluid, but, if
excessive, it will accumulate and create a seroma.
Small seromas will naturally resorb, but larger seromas require
drainage. Serial needle aspirations may be required. If repeated aspirations
fail to control the seroma, a drain is placed and is usually left in place
until the drainage subsides. If the seroma persists for more than several months, sclerosing solutions (we employ doxycycline) can
be introduced through the drain to create scar which will retard fluid
accumulation. In unusual instances, surgical excision of the tissue making up
the walls of the seroma is required. Closing the resulting defect with a quilt like technique appears to be of benefit.
Continue followup with your plastic surgeon.
Best
wishes...