My seroma has not gotten any smaller and my PS has never attempted to drain it. He's had me apply heat and wear compression, and I've been going in every 2 weeks for an RF treatment (he uses it to get heat to the seroma to try to break it up). If I still have it at 12 months he'll use a lipo machine to go in there and get it out. This treatment seems uncommon so I'm wondering what other PSs think. Also, my weight is 6lbs higher than norm since the procedure - wondering if that's the seroma.
May 10, 2018
Answer: Seroma 9 Months After Tummy Tuck #tummytuck
If you indeed do have a seroma there are many treatments that an be done. The best treatment is to drain them in the office. If they return I commonly will then place a catheter into the cavity at the time of the recurrence. This will allow the compartment where the fluid collects to collapse and the scar to close. Once a few months go by and you continue to have a pocket of fluid that was not drained you will form what is called a pseudocapsule. Once this capsule has formed the only viable option is to excise the capsule and allow the new fresh layers to scar together. You could try to have a catheter placed even this far out and just see if the pocket will collapse.
Helpful 4 people found this helpful
May 10, 2018
Answer: Seroma 9 Months After Tummy Tuck #tummytuck
If you indeed do have a seroma there are many treatments that an be done. The best treatment is to drain them in the office. If they return I commonly will then place a catheter into the cavity at the time of the recurrence. This will allow the compartment where the fluid collects to collapse and the scar to close. Once a few months go by and you continue to have a pocket of fluid that was not drained you will form what is called a pseudocapsule. Once this capsule has formed the only viable option is to excise the capsule and allow the new fresh layers to scar together. You could try to have a catheter placed even this far out and just see if the pocket will collapse.
Helpful 4 people found this helpful
May 10, 2018
Answer: Chronic seromas need to be drained
After 9 months without spontaneous resolution of your seroma, it is extremely unlikely that any external treatments such as heat, compression, and RF treatment will make your seroma go away. You can have your surgeon try serial aspirations (needle drainage), but it probably will not work. The standard treatment at this point in time ( 9 months out) generally involves opening up the seroma pocket, removing the seroma capsule, and placing drain(s). Perhaps liposuction is a new modality that I have not heard about for the treatment of chronic seromas. However, this is something that I have not used in the past for the management of seromas. Thank you for your question. Best of luck.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful
May 10, 2018
Answer: Chronic seromas need to be drained
After 9 months without spontaneous resolution of your seroma, it is extremely unlikely that any external treatments such as heat, compression, and RF treatment will make your seroma go away. You can have your surgeon try serial aspirations (needle drainage), but it probably will not work. The standard treatment at this point in time ( 9 months out) generally involves opening up the seroma pocket, removing the seroma capsule, and placing drain(s). Perhaps liposuction is a new modality that I have not heard about for the treatment of chronic seromas. However, this is something that I have not used in the past for the management of seromas. Thank you for your question. Best of luck.
Helpful 3 people found this helpful