6 Months Post Opp Tummy Tuck, Large Seroma? (photo)

Thanks for your inquiry and heartfelt words.  What I did not read was what is your surgeon's next step.  Make sure your surgeon presents a plan which many include an indwelling drain to surgery to remove the seroma cavity with a drain.

Seromas can occur after a tummy tuck, but persistent drainage usually resolves the problem.  You might want to see an interventional radiologist to place the drain.  If it doesn't resolve after several attempts, you might need to have the seroma cavity removed surgically.

Seromas can occur after an abdominoplasty procedure.  If caught early, serial aspiration with a needle can take care of it.  If they persist, placing a drain and sometimes using a sclerosant can get rid of them.  Once the seroma forms a pseudocyst, excising the cyst surgically is the best option.  Continue following up with your plastic surgeon.  Best wishes,  Dr. T

The first thing to do is not despair; as I tell my own patients when this happens, seromas are a "drag" or a nuisance more than anything, but they very rarely if ever are cause for alarm.  Basically it is a small collection of fluid that forms under the skin after operations like tummy tuck, and to this day they are probably still the most common complication we see after these operations.  Typically we drain them once or twice a week religiously until they resolve on their own, which the vast majority of them do.  If not, then we simply go back to the OR for what is a relatively straightforward and minor procedure and remove the lining of the seroma, suture the tissues together and place a drain to prevent recurrence.  They are not life threatening or a serious health risk, and they certainly aren't a good reason for paralyzing depression.  Being bummed out about the extra hassle, OK, but not depression.  So, get your chin up, get on the ball with the surgeon, and both of you get moving forward to get this thing taken care of so you can get on with life!

A large seroma can either be serially drained or you can have your doctor place a JP drain. Discuss this with your surgeon further. best, M