How many times will my seroma reappear? (photos)

Question

I had a scar revision done 12 days ago and developed a seroma a few days later. I had it drained yesterday with a syringe and it’s back again today. Will this thing keep filling up? I worse my compression all day and night and it still refilled.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Hello. 
Great question. I am sorry for your post op difficulties. There is not set number of times a seroma recurs. We hope it does not happen often. The only way to avoid it is by properly following your surgeon's post op instructions. Please follow up with your surgeon for further evaluation. Best of luck.

Dallas Buchanan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your questions and sorry to hear you are still having problems. Seromas can be difficult to deal with and if they do not resolve with aspiration, you might have to have a drain placed. Stay in touch with your surgeon and follow his or her recommendations.Best of luck!Dallas R. Buchanan, MD, FACSOwner & Board-Certified Plastic SurgeonVIVIFY plastic surgery

Nelson Castillo, MD · Answer

Thank you for sharing your excellent question and photograph and I am sorry to hear of your seroma issues.  Unfortunately there is no exact number of times it takes to resolve a seroma as larger ones tend to require more aspirations than smaller ones.  What one should follow is the amount of fluid removed with each treatment, as each session should remove less and less.  Continue to wear your compression garment 24/7 and see your surgeon each time you feel the seroma as reaccumulated.  Best wishes.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Treating a seroma can be frustrating because they can reoccur after being aspirated.  If the issue continues despite current efforts, your surgeon may place a drain to help it heal more quickly.

Ken Stewart, MD, FRCS Plast · Answer

A serona is a frustrating complication. in recent years the incidence is decreasing because of the following chages in practice:
1. Preservation of the pre fascial fat layer which contains  lymphatic channels
2. Quilting of the undermined flap to the abdominal wall
3. Use of low energy dissection techniques such as the harmonic scalpel.
When they do occur they are annoying and may take 4 or more aspirations to get the message.

Chad Robbins, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question and photo's.  Sometimes you can have a seroma come back 3-4 times on average.  It is frustrating but it does stop .  We don't really know why some people have multiple recurrence's , it's hard to predict. You may only need to be drained one more time, it's hard to know.

Michael L. Spann, MD · Answer

These can be frustrating. Visit your surgeon as much as possible to drain the area and minimize the volume of fluid (and hence capsule formation) and continue compression and limit activity. This should correct the issue in most cases. Occasionally these require further procedures such as sclerosis or drains or surgical revisions.Best wishes.

Norman Waterhouse, MBChB, FRCS (Plast) (retired) · Answer

Unfortunately , it is impossible to know how quickly this will settle down. Usually , the drainage becomes less and less after a few aspirations. It can be useful to inject some steroid into the cavity after aspiration. The vast majority settle in a few weeks.

How many times will my seroma reappear? (photos)

Answers (8)

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