Is the ruptured blister on my incision, my seroma "s fluid looking for a way out or is it suture spitting? (Photos)

Hi!

The pics helped. This isn't spitting stitches. It is a fluid problem, like a chronic seroma and wound. The good news is that it appears well drained.

Treatment is topic antibiotics, showers and gauze. Cultures should be done just in case oral antibiotics are needed. Wound vacs can be considered, but are not usually done.

The odds should be that it heals extremely well, but will take a couple of months.

See your doctor regularly. The end result should still be very good. Don't worry.

Dr Chris Saunders

Eleven weeks following tummy tuck is a long time for the usual postoperative problems.  It appears that you may have a seroma that grew and now expressed itself through the point of least resistance:  your incision.  Sometimes, the drainage can be self-limited, and other times, the opening will need to be opened more to allow for proper decompression and packing of the wound with gauze. In my experience, these types of seromas should be opened a bit more in the office, washed thoroughly, and packed with saline moistened gauze (or other wetting solution such as Dakins).  This will need to be kept up 1-3 times a day depending on the amount of soiling of the wound.  Epsom salt baths 1-2 times per day will also help.  I usually do not place patients on antibiotics, if wound care is monitored and is deemed adequate with good progression to closure.  Occasionally, a more aggressive debridement may be required in the operating room to allow the tissues to heal faster.