What to Do Before and After Tummy Tuck with Lipo to Prevent Seroma?

Question

I go for my full Tummy Tuck with Liposuction in 3 weeks and am wondering if  there is anything that I can do before and after the surgery to prevent fluid collection?  Can you sit in a sauna after surgery to sweat the fluids out?  Does drinking lots of water help with clearing out the extra fluid?  Should I be eating a very high fiber diet to pull out all of the excess fluid?

Brent Moelleken, MD · Answer

As my esteemed colleagues have noted, doing what the doctor tells you avoids most seromas.  In this day and age of pain pumps, just because you feel good doesn't mean you can ignore the doctor and start working out or being too active too early.
Certain procedures-- redos, older men, patients requiring extensive surgery- may be more prone to seromas because the magnitude of surgery is more.
There is some anecdotal evidence that quilting sutures may reduce the incidence of seromas.

Armando Soto, MD, FACS · Answer

Hi there-
The very best advice I can give you is very, very simple...
Follow your surgeon's instructions.
That's it- as long as you do what you are asked to do, and you do NOT do those things you are asked to avoid, development of a seroma should be very rare (provided you have also chosen your surgeon well).
This is not to say that even the best surgeons don't have a seroma from time to time- just that they should be rare if you follow your instructions carefully.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Although some of your suggestions may make common sense, they do not generally result in any lowered risk of seroma formation. In fact I would strongly advise against sitting in a sauna. Certainly within the first 48 hours, it is important to give yourself adequate fluids to avoid intravascular depletion which could result in serious complications. Some surgeons believe the use of quilting sutures may lower the risk and eliminate the need for drains, but I have not found this to be necessarily true.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD · Answer

I'm in agreement with most of the expert posters. You can do very little to prevent the seroma complication before surgery.
After surgery the ways to decrease the seroma are drains, compression dressings or binders, limit activity.
Best of luck from Miami

Francisco Canales, MD · Answer

The level of your activity is directly correlated with how much fluid you make.  While we want you to walk and change positions often, waiting until your drains are out and your doctor has given you the green light to exercise is key.  Nothing will bring the risk down to zero.

What to Do Before and After Tummy Tuck with Lipo to Prevent Seroma?

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What to Do Before and After Tummy Tuck with Lipo to Prevent Seroma?

Answers (9)

Answer: Preventing seroma after tummy tuck

Answer: Preventing seroma after tummy tuck

Answer: Avoiding seromas after tummy tuck

Answer: Avoiding seromas after tummy tuck

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.