Lipoma wound after removal keeps filling with fluid.

Question

Grapefruit size. Not encapsulated. No drain placed during surgery. Benign. Drained by needle aspiration.

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your question and I am sorry to hear of your recurrent seromas.  Depending on the area, it is best to perform serial aspirations to prevent this reaccumulation, followed by placement of a compression garment.  Should the seroma persist, consider placement of a drain for more definitive treatment.  Hope this helps.

Anthony J. Taglienti, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. If the wound keeps filling with fluid, then there are a couple of options depending on how far out you are from surgery. One is continued needle aspirations with compression. Sometimes patients need 2-3 aspirations before the seroma (or fluid collection) goes away entirely. Another potential option is to now place a drain in the area. This can typically easily be done in the office, with local anesthetic and a small caliber drain. You may have to keep the drain in anywhere between 3-14 days (on average) depending on how much it puts out - but once it gets low enough it can be removed, and the problem shouldn't bother you anymore. If it has been weeks since your procedure, the seroma may have formed a capsule around it. In some cases, even after repeated drainage attempts, the capsule needs to be surgically removed, or sclerosed with an agent to cause it to collapse. I would suggest keeping in close contact with your surgeon, as the fluid collection has the potential to delay overall wound healing or to get infected if not treated. Best of luck!

Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

Fluid that continues to collect often needs to be removed (small amounts may be absorbed by the body).  That can be done with serial aspirations (removal of the fluid using a needle), insertion of a drain, or both.  An ultrasound may be useful in determining the precise location and extent of the collection.  If fluid is allowed to remain too long it can become organized, which means that scar tissue starts to form and it then more difficult to remove (wounds and fluid-collections can become organized on their own, too, without having been left in place too long - though that is contributing factor).  You should of course be assessed in person by your own surgeon and then you can consider, if indicated, a second opinion.  I hope that this helps and good luck, Dr. Alan Engler, Member of #RealSelf500

Lipoma wound after removal keeps filling with fluid.

Answers (3)

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