Why are drains sometimes placed in the front of the vaginal area after tummy tuck?

Question

After a TT with muscle repair why are some drains placed in front of the vaginal area rather than to the front side of both hips/vaginal area? I've seen some drains placed in front of the vaginal area right before the opening :-/

Justin Yovino, MD, FACS · Answer

The drain can be brought out anywhere. The sides or the front are the most common locations for the drain to exit. Discuss this with your surgeon.

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

Most surgeons use one to two drains followers no a tummy tuck and try to place them so they are easy to take care of and so they don't leave a scar in a noticeable area.  I think the hair bearing pubic area is the best because the hair will cover the scar.

Jaime S. Schwartz, MD, FACS · Answer

I appreciate your question.

They are usually placed there to hide the scars after healing.  Discuss with your surgeon if you have another preference.

The best way to assess and give
true advice would be an in-person exam.

Please see a board-certified
plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative plastic surgery.

best of luck!

Dr Schwartz

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

Tummy Tuck:  drainsthe placement is up to the surgeon, it really doesn't matterI’ve stopped using drainage tubes. So typically after tummy tucks, we use plastic tubes that would be placed after surgery. And the drainage tubes would collect a small amount of blood and fluid that would sometimes accumulate after a tummy tuck.But a number of other surgeons stopped using these in the last few years. And I followed this very closely, and their results seemed to be the same. And so I started to do this, or provided the service for my patients, and there’s been no downside.

Steve Laverson, MD, FACS · Answer

As suggested by other responders, to avoid visibility of small scars that may result from skin openings at the drain tube exit site(s), obscure or easily hidden anatomy on your skin surface is the preferred placement for those openings.  Hair bearing skin, darkly pigmented tatoo, natural creases or anatomic boundaries, existing scar(s), and places most often concealed by clothing are usually selected.

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA · Answer

The placement of drains is totally up to the surgeon. I like to place my drains in the hair bearing mons. I do not place it close to the vagina. They are just below the incision in the mons.  I do this because once the drain sites heal they are easily hidden by the hair.

Curtis Wong, MD · Answer

and we like to think that the scars are hidden better there.  But with the new fashions and universal trimming of the area, the scars are no longer 'hidden'.  I personally prefer to use a liposuction access site or bring drains out from the ends of the incisions.  It much easier for the patient to care for and won't leave any new scars.  You can always tell your surgeon where you want your drains and if your surgeon refuses to comply, there are plenty of others that will gladly do it your way.

John A. Millard, MD, FACS · Answer

Drain site placement is not a fast and hard rule.  Many doctors try to do there best to place then so that the scars will be hidden after healing, thus placing them low down in your mons pubic area is very popular, where pubic hair and clothing can hide any signs of this scar.

Vasdev Rai, MD · Answer

There are no hard and fixed rules that determine site of drain placement. Leave it to surgeon's discretion and judgement. All sites mentioned by you are options for drain placement among other sites that you did not mention.

Stacey Folk, MD · Answer

Bringing drains out in the mons pubis area is my preferred sight because it will likely be the least visible place for a scar once you have healed. If placed really low her that would make me cringe a little too. I also recommend that my abdominoplasty patients wax a couple of days prior to their surgery so that the pubic hair does not interfere with dressings. Shaving can actually increase the risk of a post-operative infection. This location also makes it easy to feed the drains through the crotch opening of a liposuction garment if you will be using one after your surgery.

Why are drains sometimes placed in the front of the vaginal area after tummy tuck?

Answers (17)

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