I had a Tummy Tuck on April 18th, the Dr didn't insert drains in me after surgery. Every visit I've had with him he would say it will go away. It's been 3 1/2 months and I've been wearing my medical girdles 24/7 and it's not getting any better. At end of the day I feel very blooded in the upper and lower of my incision and very tight that my incision hurts. My next appt is not until September. What should I do? Do I wait or call him to request to have this drained?
August 4, 2014
Answer: Bad case of seroma. Should I have it drained, or wait for my next appointment in Sept? I think that it will be in your best interests to inform your plastic surgeon of your concerns. More than likely he/she will want to see you before your scheduled appointment. Best wishes.
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August 4, 2014
Answer: Bad case of seroma. Should I have it drained, or wait for my next appointment in Sept? I think that it will be in your best interests to inform your plastic surgeon of your concerns. More than likely he/she will want to see you before your scheduled appointment. Best wishes.
Helpful
Answer: Seroma and Tummy Tuck Dear 57,Thank you for your post. Seromas can be painful and cause a cosmetic deformity, as well as sometimes leak. The whole point of drains is to keep a seroma from happening in the first place. If a drainless procedure was performed, and you had a seroma, or you had drains that were pulled and you subsequently had a seroma, then you should be drained, otherwise a capsule builds around the fluid making it permanent. If a capsule builds around the seroma (pseudo bursa or encapsulated seroma) then the only way to remove the seroma is to surgically open the areas and excise the capsule, and close over drains to prevent another seroma from happening. If the seroma is encapsulated and is tight and painful, then it can be confused with just swelling or fat. An ultrasound is useful in distinguishing these and identifying the extent of the seroma. If the seroma is not yet encapsulated, then it is usually loose and has a 'fluid wave' or water bed type feel. Occasionally, a seroma can also become infected, especially if a permanent braided suture was used. This will have a hot, red appearance, and will eventually open up.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD
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Answer: Seroma and Tummy Tuck Dear 57,Thank you for your post. Seromas can be painful and cause a cosmetic deformity, as well as sometimes leak. The whole point of drains is to keep a seroma from happening in the first place. If a drainless procedure was performed, and you had a seroma, or you had drains that were pulled and you subsequently had a seroma, then you should be drained, otherwise a capsule builds around the fluid making it permanent. If a capsule builds around the seroma (pseudo bursa or encapsulated seroma) then the only way to remove the seroma is to surgically open the areas and excise the capsule, and close over drains to prevent another seroma from happening. If the seroma is encapsulated and is tight and painful, then it can be confused with just swelling or fat. An ultrasound is useful in distinguishing these and identifying the extent of the seroma. If the seroma is not yet encapsulated, then it is usually loose and has a 'fluid wave' or water bed type feel. Occasionally, a seroma can also become infected, especially if a permanent braided suture was used. This will have a hot, red appearance, and will eventually open up.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD
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