How To Treat Seroma At Home?

How To Treat Seroma At Home
1. Apply Heat – Applying a warm compress or heating pad to a seroma can help to promote fluid drainage and reduce soreness or tension in the area. Make sure the compress isn’t too hot and that you only leave it on the seroma for about 10 minutes, at least three times per day.

Contents

How do you make seromas go away?

What to do if You Develop Seromas – Seromas usually develop 7-10 days after surgery. It will look like a cyst and there will likely be a clear discharge coming out of the surgical incision. They can sometimes be painful. Most seromas will be reabsorbed into the body and heal naturally,

Prior to surgery, ask your surgeon if there is anything you can do to reduce the risk of developing seromas.Ask your surgeon about compression garments and if they may be helpful.Take it easy as you recover. Avoid any strenuous activity like runs through Pufferbelly Trail. Clean the area as directed. Preventing infections will reduce the risk of developing seromas.Take over-the-counter pain medication for any discomfort or inflammation.If a seroma or seromas do develop, you can apply heat to the area for 15 minutes every few hours. This can help the seroma drain and ease discomfort.If the seroma does not go away on its own, your doctor can drain it or surgically remove it.

Does massaging a seroma help?

How can I treat Seroma naturally? – Most seromas can be reabsorbed into your body, sometimes it can take almost a month. However, in severe cases it can take a year and you may experience hardening once the seroma heals. Manual lymphatic drainage is the most recommended treatment by surgeons to prevent and drain seromas without a medical intervention.

  1. Most importantly, you can start the MLD sessions right after your surgery.
  2. All the fluid inside the seroma will be drained manually and evacuated by your lymphatic system.
  3. Your therapist will use very light pressure, combined with soft pumping movements to drain the excess of fluid from the affected area towards the lymph nodes ( where the fluid will be absorbed and eliminated).

In addition, MLD will help you to relieve pain, reduce swelling, reduce scar tissue and speed up recovery

What happens if seroma is left untreated?

If a sizable seroma is left untreated for a long period of time, a thin cover of tissue called a fibrous capsule can develop around the mass. The capsule can make it more difficult for the seroma to be completely drained, and therefore, allow fluid to continue accumulating rapidly.

Can I drain seroma myself?

Seromas and hematomas are relatively common complications of a variety of surgical procedures. In plastic surgery, they may occur in the postoperative period of abdominoplasty or abdominal wall reconstruction, mastectomy or breast reconstruction, lymphadenectomy, or voluminous neoplasm excision.

  1. Furthermore, in our experience, seromas are particularly common in surgical procedures involving the use of biological substitutes,
  2. Clinical treatment of seromas is usually performed by repeated evacuation by means of suction using an appropriately sized syringe (usually 10-50 mL in volume) according to the amount of fluid to be evacuated,

In some cases, an ultrasound examination can highlight the depth, volume, and extension of the fluid. In the case of seromas that are more than 100 mL in volume, the use of several syringes is necessary. Whenever a syringe is filled, it should be replaced or depleted by unplugging it from the hypodermic needle, thus exposing the patient to a high risk of infection.

Therefore, negative pressure cannot be maintained continuously, In order to avoid these issues, we have developed a new and simple method that allows us to reduce the material used and to minimize the risk of infection. This device involves the use of basic materials that are easily available in every hospital: a hypodermic needle, preferably a 20 G syringe needle, and high-vacuum Redon drainage.

For this system, we used a high-vacuum Redon bottle (Drainobag 300V Lock, B-Braun, Melsungen AG, Germany); however, any kind of drainage can be used. First, it is necessary to make an oblique incision in the terminal portion of the rubber connector, taking care not to excessively shape the rubber in order to maintain the negative pressure. Equipment for seroma drainage system: a 20 G hypodermic needle (alternatively a 21 G hypodermic needle or a needle cannula), high-vacuum Redon drainage, and a blade. The assembled seroma drainage system. In the box, the system with the cannula needle. After pricking the skin and identifying the seroma, it is possible to open the drainage. The liquid will be drained from the drainage system without the use of different syringes.

If a change of the drain site is necessary, simply close the Redon, prick the skin in another site, and reopen the drainage. It will suck the liquid without losing the negative pressure. This simple technique offers many advantages such as the availability of the required materials, lower risk of infection due to absence of material changing, a reduction in the risk of losing seromas (possible during the syringe changes), easier handling of the needle as compared to the whole syringe, a reduced number of devices with a decrease in costs, and higher accuracy of the drained fluid volume quantification.

This easy drainage method can be used daily for both seromas and liquid hematomas. It is also possible to connect a cannula needle as an alternative to the simple needle. This can be attached to the skin appropriately in order to obtain permanent aspiration.

Will activity make a seroma worse?

Answer: Seroma disappears with exercise. Typically, we want our patients to reduce excessive movement and use some compression until the seroma goes away. The fluid resorbs and the tissue scars to eliminate the potential space.

Does drinking water help seroma?

Answer: Seroma Your fluid intake will not affect seroma development or disappearance.

Does ice help seroma?

Answer: Use neither ice nor heat on seroma site. If you are still on antibiotics, this may indeed be slightly more than just a seroma. But if you had non-cloudy seroma fluid aspirated, and your incision looks fine, and there is no redness visible after the aspiration.

How long should a seroma last?

Most seromas are reabsorbed back into your body in about a month, but in some cases it can take up to a year. If the area becomes painful or the seroma doesn’t improve, your doctor can drain the seroma.

Will water pills help with seroma?

Seroma Formation After Gynecomastia Treatment: What You Need To Know To Avoid It and Treat It – A seroma can be recognized as a swelling in the chest that hadn’t been there before or hadn’t been well localized to a specific area. It feels like a water balloon or a “fluid wave” in some cases.

  • It may or may not be associated with bruising and varies in size, though in most cases it’s no larger than a walnut.
  • Seromas are associated with excess fluid intake after surgery, and therefore may resolve on their own with little risk of infection.
  • They typically do not cause pain, but they may be tender in some patients.

Induration (firmness) of the surrounding tissues and redness of the skin is common. Some patients are simply more susceptible to developing seromas for unknown reasons. After the gynecomastia mass is removed, what’s left is an empty cavity. The body is prone to filling this dead space with bodily fluids.

To prevent fluid accumulation, I use and specific techniques, like my, to eliminate dead space. A seroma can alter the healing process in multiple ways, which could negatively affect the result of your gynecomastia contouring. First, the fluid can cause inflammation and hardening of the tissues, resulting in the formation of creases and folds.

If the fluid becomes infected, an abscess (collection of pus under the skin) can form, often requiring drainage and antibiotics. If a seroma is present for many weeks, it will commonly form a wall of scar tissue around itself that then is appreciated as a mass or “recurrence” of the gynecomastia.

This is simply scar tissue but may require removal as a secondary procedure. The best way to prevent seromas is to find a surgeon uses the best techniques, like the aforementioned drains or sutures, and makes the effort to minimize the potential for seroma formation. To limit swelling after treatment, compression is also beneficial.

The use of diuretics (drugs that increase water loss from the body) to prevent seromas is unproven and not advised. Drinking large amounts of fluid after treatment does not increase the speed of healing. On the contrary, it will only lead to more swelling and increase the potential for seroma formation.Seromas that appear within one month of surgery can generally be managed with simple aspiration techniques.

You might be interested:  Heart Rate Monitor Hospital How To Read?

This means that a syringe with a small needle is inserted into the area of the body containing the seroma to withdraw the fluid. Several treatments may be necessary until the seroma is completely gone. The frequency of treatment depends on how quickly the fluid fills back and becomes noticeable. Typically, several treatments over a month would suffice.

In more difficult and stubborn cases, your surgeon may need to perform a drainage procedure. Beyond a month, older seromas that form scar tissue are best treated by excision. From a plastic surgeon’s standpoint, removing a seroma is a minor issue. Unfortunately, if you are from out of town and you are seeing a doctor with different training and experience, he or she may make things sound more complicated than necessary.

  1. We recommend that our patients seek out someone who is comfortable inserting a needle into the area and removing fluid.
  2. This can (and should be) any medical doctor.
  3. There are no critical anatomical regions in the chest area, and inserting a needle under the skin will not adversely affect your result.
  4. Unfortunately, many doctors are reluctant to treat even minor issues that have arisen from the hands of another doctor, often from a common fear of damaging the work done.

You will have to deal with this mentality. Most seromas will be found in the area close to the nipple-areola complex, as this is the primary location of gynecomastia tissue that is treated with liposuction and/or direct tissue removal. This will leave a “space” for fluid to collect.

A common patient complaint would be that one nipple is flat while the other is still puffy. “Did you leave some tissue, doctor?” When dealing with seromas, patience is a virtue. They happen, and they probably often happen because patients drink too many fluids after treatment, including alcohol. I understand why this could be frustrating, time consuming and even costly.

But in this case, the benefits of preventing seroma formation outweigh the potential costs of limiting fluid intake. If you are a local patient, I could simply take care of it in my office. If you are, it can be challenging engaging with the health care system to deal with a simple issue.

Seromas do not harm your health.They may resolve on their own without treatment.Limiting fluid intake and can help seromas go away.Seromas are commonly treated by aspirating the fluid. Several aspirations may be required.Seromas lasting more than six weeks are uncommon, but all seromas eventually go away.Seromas can affect the healing process, leaving contour irregularities or a small mass.Patience is a virtue that helps those who develop a seroma.

If my staff or I have suggested you read this information about seromas, I’m sorry for your troubles but I appreciate your understanding. We will all work with you to resolve the issue so that you can move on to enjoying the results of your gynecomastia treatment fully! : How to Treat Seroma Formation After Gynecomastia Surgery

When should I be concerned about a seroma?

When to contact a doctor – Share on Pinterest If the area is sore, warm, red, or swollen, a person should seek guidance from a doctor. The seroma may take a few weeks to absorb on its own. Letting a seroma absorb on its own is the best way to heal naturally as long as no complications arise.

it gets biggerthe amount of fluid seems to be increasingthere is no improvementit puts excessive pressure on the area of surgery or injury, the skin, or an organit becomes painfulthere are signs of infection or inflammation, such as redness, warmth, or tenderness

Seromas can increase the likelihood of a surgical site infection, so it is important to monitor them carefully. Depending on the severity, a seroma may have to be drained more than once.

What does an infected seroma look like?

– In many cases, a seroma will have the appearance of a swollen lump, like a large cyst, It may also be tender or sore when touched. A clear discharge from the surgical incision is common when a seroma is present. You may have an infection if the discharge becomes bloody, changes color, or develops an odor. In rare cases, a seroma may calcify. This will leave a hard knot in the seroma site.

Is a seroma hard or soft?

Seroma — Dr Heidi Peverill A seroma is a build-up of straw-coloured bodily fluids in an area where tissue has been removed at surgery. The fluid can make the area feel hard and this can become uncomfortable. Seromas can happen after the following surgery

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy – for melanoma or breast cancer Lymph Node clearance – of the axilla, groin or neck Breast Lumpectomy Mastectomy Mastectomy + Reconstruction Breast reduction Removal of a Soft tissue tumour or Large Lipoma Repair of a Large Abdominal or Groin Hernia

Your surgeon may place a drain in the surgical site to control the fluid initially. A seroma can appear a week after surgery or after drainage tubes have been removed. The site of the surgery may become swollen and feels like there is hard lump under the skin.

What size seroma should be drained?

A seroma is a collection of fluid under the skin that can accumulate after a procedure. If a patient gets a seroma after an abdominoplasty, I prefer to drain them, no matter the size. Typically if a seroma can be identified, it can be drained. Sometimes this may be done every 3-4 days.

Is draining seroma painful?

Having a seroma drained is usually painless as the area around the wound is still likely to be numb. Seromas do not always need to be drained. If they do need to be drained, then this can be done in clinic.

Is compression good for seroma?

Preventing a Seroma – We don’t want the oozing fluid to collect under the skin, because it can pool and form a pocket of fluid, which is referred to as a “seroma.” Now, a seroma isn’t the worst problem in the world—in fact, we consider it more of a nuisance than a complication (seromas go away eventually).

  • But you really don’t want the hassle of getting a seroma and needing to manage it.
  • Compressing the abdominal area (and typically using a drain as well) can help to prevent a seroma from forming.
  • The compression garment should be worn for about 3 to 6 weeks, depending on your surgeon’s instructions.
  • Tummy Tuck Compression – YouTube Thomas P.

Sterry, MD 5.17K subscribers Tummy Tuck Compression Watch later Share Copy link Info Shopping Tap to unmute If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device. More videos

Do anti inflammatories help a seroma?

Answer: Can taking anti inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, help to reduce a seroma? Ibuprofen will not cause a resolution of a seroma. Most seroma swelling breast augmentation results spontaneously. In unusual circumstances aspiration or removal of the seroma fluid is necessary.

Does movement help seroma?

Abstract – Background: Seroma formation, wound healing and fluid drainage are a concern for both surgeons and patients. Excessive fluid production can result in seroma formation, and inadequate drainage of seromas is known to cause infection, pain, discomfort and longer periods of hospitalisation.

Postoperative exercises given to maintain movement of the arm are believed to increase the amount of fluid production following surgery. This review aimed to determine whether a program of delayed exercises reduces the risk of seroma formation, fluid loss and hospital stay, without loss of arm movement.

Method: A systematic review. RCTs of early versus delayed shoulder mobilisation after surgery in females with breast cancer were included in the review. Outcomes. One or more measurements of shoulder range of motion, wound complications, fluid drainage volumes and incidence of seroma formation.

Design. Randomised controlled trials, control group of delayed exercise/mobilisation. Validity assessment was carried out using a data extraction form based on the CONSORT statement. Study characteristics recorded include sample size, intervention, control, period of exercise delay, surgical procedure and conclusions drawn.

Data synthesis was carried out using random effects and weighted mean differences to test for heterogeneity and combined effects. Results: 12 RCTs were included in the review of which 6 were included for meta-analysis. Delaying exercises significantly decreases seroma formation (OR=0.4; 95%CI 0.2-0.5; p=0.00001).

Can seroma cause sepsis?

Double Whammy: Rare Case of Infected Chronic Seroma Due to Bacterial Translocation From Biliary Sepsis Monitoring Editor: Alexander Muacevic and John R Adler © 2021, Ng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

We present a case of infected chronic seroma post ventral hernia repair using the Rives-Stoppa technique likely from bacterial translocation from ascending cholangitis. After definitive treatment with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and drainage of obstructed gallstones, she continued to show signs of sepsis.

You might be interested:  What Is A Good Average Heart Rate While Cycling?

Percutaneous drainage of seroma was diagnostic for infection, where Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) was cultured and coupled with IV antibiotics, her infection was treated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of seroma infection from biliary sepsis, and there are no cases of infected seroma from a secondary infection in the literature.

  • Eywords: acute cholangitis, sepsis, hernia repair, bacterial translocation, seroma The late onset of deep surgical site infection after hernia repair is rare.
  • Incidence of late infection post abdominal wall hernia repair in a case series of 2666 was 0.3% (8/2666),
  • There are no reported cases of infected seroma from bacteria translocation related to septicemia from a distant origin, and particularly there is no literature on infected seroma after sepsis.

This paper aims to report a case of infected chronic seroma secondary to ascending cholangitis. A female in her 70s presented with a four-day history of fevers, right upper quadrant and epigastric abdominal pain associated with vomiting, loose stools, and dark urine.

Significant past medical history includes previous open right hemicolectomy secondary to low-grade mucinous appendiceal neoplasm, asthma, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, gastroesophageal reflux, hypertension, previous hysterectomy, osteoarthritis, and morbid obesity with a BMI of 43.

She developed a large midline incisional hernia with intestinal content a year after right hemicolectomy. She had undergone an open incisional hernia repair with mesh placement in the retro-rectus plane (Rives-Stoppa) in November 2019, a year prior to the current presentation.

  • A CT abdomen done as part of colon cancer surveillance four months after repair incidentally showed a large seroma (Figure ) but she was asymptomatic and had no signs of infection.
  • After discussion with the patient and her treating surgeon, it was decided not to be treated as there was a potential risk of introducing infection which might lead to mesh explantation in the worst-case scenario.

Pre-op CT abdomen prior to incisional hernia repair. Axial view on left, midline sagittal view on the right. Orange arrows indicate hernia. On examination, she was febrile to 38.2˚C and other vital observations were normal. Clinically, she did not appear jaundiced.

She was tender in the epigastric and right upper quadrant with a positive Murphy’s sign. There were no signs of cellulitis on the abdominal wall. Laboratory investigations revealed raised inflammatory markers with leucocytosis (13.83*109/L) and C-reactive protein (CRP) of 430 mg/L. She had deranged liver function tests with a total bilirubin of 45 µmol/L, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 133 U/L, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) 548 U/L, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of 209 U/L.

Blood culture and urine culture had no growth and chest X-ray did not show pneumonia. The CT abdomen revealed an obstructed biliary tree with a distal common bile duct (CBD) calculi and dilated CBD of 10 mm. The gallbladder contained multiple small calculi.

A large horseshoe-shaped seroma in the anterior abdominal wall anterior to the rectus abdominis of similar size was again noted (Figure ). It measured 23 cm axially, 9 cm in depth, and 22 cm craniocaudally. CT abdomen (axial slice on left, sagittal slice on right) taken a year after hernia repair with chronic seroma (orange arrows).

She was started on broad-spectrum antibiotics, IV ceftriaxone (1 gm twice a day ) and metronidazole (500 mg three times a day ). She underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and sphincterotomy on day 3. Several stones were extracted with a balloon and the final occlusion cholangiogram was clear.

  1. Biochemical markers prior to ERCP showed white cell count (WCC) of 11.57*109/L, CRP 441 mg/L, total bilirubin of 64 µmol/L, ALT of 107U/L, ALP of 477 U/L, and GGT of 662 U/L.
  2. She felt clinically well the day after ERCP and remained afebrile.
  3. Laboratory investigations day after ERCP showed WCC of 17.42*109/L, CRP of 259 mg/L, total bilirubin of 22 µmol/L, ALT of 56 U/L, ALP 296 U/L, and GGT 358 U/L.

She developed fevers day 2 post ERCP. On examination, she remained tender in the right upper quadrant with no signs of cellulitis on the abdominal wall. She was nontender in the central and lower abdomen. CT and ultrasound of the abdomen were repeated to exclude a complication from ERCP such as perforation or cholecystitis.

  1. It was found to have interval development of gas locules in the seroma (Figure ).
  2. On ultrasound scan, the seroma had thickened walls and demonstrated internal septations.
  3. There was some edema noted in the overlying subcutaneous fat.
  4. Repeat blood and urine cultures were negative, and chest X-ray did not demonstrate infection.

Her antibiotics were changed to IV meropenem (1g TDS), but after two days she continued to spike fevers, and her inflammatory markers WCC and CRP continue to rise (Figure ), while liver function tests continued to improve (Figure ). She underwent ultrasound-guided drainage of the collection and placement of a pigtail catheter which contained blood-stained purulent fluid.

  • A total of 2 L of fluid was drained.
  • The culture of the fluid grew Escherichia Coli (E.
  • Coli) sensitive to multiple types of antibiotics including ceftriaxone and meropenem, and antibiotics were changed back to ceftriaxone (1g BD).
  • A repeat CT was obtained after five days which showed near complete drainage of the collection (Figure ) and the catheter was removed.

She had no further fevers and serum leucocytes were normal at 9.86 mmol/L and CRP was down trending at 102 from a peak of 313. She was discharged home with a further five days of oral ciprofloxacin. Inflammatory markers trend (bubbles indicating the day of intervention).

  • ERCP: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
  • Liver function tests.
  • ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; ERCP: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase.
  • CT abdomen post drainage (axial slice).
  • Seroma formation after ventral hernia repair is common, with incidence approximately 30%, and most are sterile and resolve spontaneously.

The reason for this is multifactorial, but the main cause is tissue dissection of the anterior abdominal wall leading to reactive inflammation and accumulation of lymphatic fluid and blood, This is further exacerbated if the hernia was large and significant potential space is created after the repair.

Systemic infection leading to contamination of a previously sterile collection is demonstrated in this case. While in this case, blood cultures were not positive, the fact that E. coli, a common enteric organism was grown in the seroma fluid makes it likely that the source of infection was from biliary sepsis.

Infection is the most severe of complications from seroma formation as in the worst-case scenario it could lead to re-operation and explantation of mesh if the infection involves the mesh. Incidence of mesh infection is up to 10% in ventral hernia repair and risk factors are advanced age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score greater than 2, tobacco smoking, obesity, and inadequate glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus.

The mainstay for the treatment of superficial infection is systemic antibiotics and drainage of collection, with consideration of surgical debridement and mesh removal if the patient fails conservative management, It has been reported that deep-seated infections can occur months after surgery and sometimes even up to 4.5 years,

Delikoukos S et al. reported five cases in 1452 patients with delayed infection and they all primarily sought medical attention for symptoms related to the hernia site, This could arise as a complication of a persisting collection, The success of percutaneous drainage of collection from mesh infection is mixed.

  1. Uo YC et al.
  2. Reports salvaging mesh repairs in 9/14 patients, while Chen T et al.
  3. Report only 1/8 patients who recovered with antibiotics and drainage,
  4. There have been reports of prostheses such as breast implants and joint prostheses being infected from a secondary source,
  5. However, there have not been any reports of mesh or seroma infection seeding from secondary infection sites.

Bacteria implicated in previous reports included both Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and Gram-negative organisms such as Bacteroides fragilis and Pasteurella multocida, Bacteraemia could be introduced through interruption of the natural skin barrier or from the gut with peritonitis.

The success of treatment with percutaneous drainage without need for mesh explantation was increased with an underlay repair as compared to an onlay repair in a study done by Bueno-Lledó J et al. While this could be secondary to a reduction in exposure to wound flora and protection from the thickness of muscle and adipose tissue, this would not apply in late infection after the superficial wound has healed.

As seromas form in a potential space of least resistance, this would be in the subcutaneous layer where the previously herniated contents were. Due to the abdominal wall defect, the ventral fascia closure is tight and therefore leaves less space for a seroma to form.

  1. The closure of the ventral fascia also creates a barrier between the mesh and the seroma, which could prevent the need for the explantation of the mesh,
  2. This case suggests that a potential risk factor of late-onset infected seroma is systemic sepsis, and a pre-existing seroma/collection should be considered as a source of sepsis even if there are no localized symptoms or signs.
You might be interested:  How To Treat Lymph Nodes Naturally?

Percutaneous drainage and antibiotic treatment were effective in this patient. Placement of mesh in the retro-rectus space with closure on anterior fascia potentially prevented the need for mesh explantation. The content published in Cureus is the result of clinical experience and/or research by independent individuals or organizations.

Cureus is not responsible for the scientific accuracy or reliability of data or conclusions published herein. All content published within Cureus is intended only for educational, research and reference purposes. Additionally, articles published within Cureus should not be deemed a suitable substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional.

Do not disregard or avoid professional medical advice due to content published within Cureus. The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study 1. Late-onset deep mesh infection: a study of eight cases detected from 2666 consecutive patients with abdominal wall hernia repairs.

  1. Chen T, Zhang YH, Wang HL, Chen W, Wang J.
  2. Chin Med J (Engl) 2016; 129 :1870–1872.2.
  3. Serum analyses for protein, albumin and IL-1-RA serve as reliable predictors for seroma formation after incisional hernia repair.
  4. Link CD, Binnebösel M, Lucas AH, et al.
  5. Hernia.2011; 15 :69–73.3.
  6. Using local hemostatic to prevent seromas in patients with large incisional hernias randomized controlled trial.

Degovtsov EN, Kolyadko PV, Kolyadko VP. Hernia.2021; 25 :441–448.4. Optimal management of mesh infection: evidence and treatment options. Arnold M, Kao AM, Gbozah KK, Heniford BT, Augenstein VA. Int J Abdom Wall Hernia Surg.2018; 1 :42–49.5. Late-onset deep mesh infection after inguinal hernia repair.

Delikoukos S, Tzovaras G, Liakou P, Mantzos F, Hatzitheofilou C. Hernia.2007; 11 :15–17.6. Late-onset deep prosthetic infection following mesh repair of inguinal hernia. Mann DV, Prout J, Havranek E, Gould S, Darzi A. Am J Surg.1998; 176 :12–14.7. Drainage of collections associated with hernia mesh: is it worthwhile? Kuo YC, Mondschein JI, Soulen MC, et al.

J Vasc Interv Radiol.2010; 21 :362–366.8. Periprosthetic joint infection following Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Sendi P, Banderet F, Graber P, Zimmerli W. J Infect.2011; 63 :17–22.9. Infection in breast implants. Pittet B, Montandon D, Pittet D. Lancet Infect Dis.2005; 5 :94–106.10.

Predictors of mesh infection and explantation after abdominal wall hernia repair. Bueno-Lledó J, Torregrosa-Gallud A, Sala-Hernandez A, Carbonell-Tatay F, Pastor PG, Diana SB, Hernández JI. Am J Surg.2017; 213 :50–57.11. Ventral rectus fascia closure on top of mesh hernia repair in the sublay technique.

Petersen S, Henke G, Zimmermann L, Aumann G, Hellmich G, Ludwig K. Plast Reconstr Surg.2004; 114 :1754–1760. : Double Whammy: Rare Case of Infected Chronic Seroma Due to Bacterial Translocation From Biliary Sepsis

How long does seroma fluid last?

Most seromas are reabsorbed back into your body in about a month, but in some cases it can take up to a year. If the area becomes painful or the seroma doesn’t improve, your doctor can drain the seroma.

Will water pills help with seroma?

Seroma Formation After Gynecomastia Treatment: What You Need To Know To Avoid It and Treat It – A seroma can be recognized as a swelling in the chest that hadn’t been there before or hadn’t been well localized to a specific area. It feels like a water balloon or a “fluid wave” in some cases.

It may or may not be associated with bruising and varies in size, though in most cases it’s no larger than a walnut. Seromas are associated with excess fluid intake after surgery, and therefore may resolve on their own with little risk of infection. They typically do not cause pain, but they may be tender in some patients.

Induration (firmness) of the surrounding tissues and redness of the skin is common. Some patients are simply more susceptible to developing seromas for unknown reasons. After the gynecomastia mass is removed, what’s left is an empty cavity. The body is prone to filling this dead space with bodily fluids.

  1. To prevent fluid accumulation, I use and specific techniques, like my, to eliminate dead space.
  2. A seroma can alter the healing process in multiple ways, which could negatively affect the result of your gynecomastia contouring.
  3. First, the fluid can cause inflammation and hardening of the tissues, resulting in the formation of creases and folds.

If the fluid becomes infected, an abscess (collection of pus under the skin) can form, often requiring drainage and antibiotics. If a seroma is present for many weeks, it will commonly form a wall of scar tissue around itself that then is appreciated as a mass or “recurrence” of the gynecomastia.

  1. This is simply scar tissue but may require removal as a secondary procedure.
  2. The best way to prevent seromas is to find a surgeon uses the best techniques, like the aforementioned drains or sutures, and makes the effort to minimize the potential for seroma formation.
  3. To limit swelling after treatment, compression is also beneficial.

The use of diuretics (drugs that increase water loss from the body) to prevent seromas is unproven and not advised. Drinking large amounts of fluid after treatment does not increase the speed of healing. On the contrary, it will only lead to more swelling and increase the potential for seroma formation.Seromas that appear within one month of surgery can generally be managed with simple aspiration techniques.

This means that a syringe with a small needle is inserted into the area of the body containing the seroma to withdraw the fluid. Several treatments may be necessary until the seroma is completely gone. The frequency of treatment depends on how quickly the fluid fills back and becomes noticeable. Typically, several treatments over a month would suffice.

In more difficult and stubborn cases, your surgeon may need to perform a drainage procedure. Beyond a month, older seromas that form scar tissue are best treated by excision. From a plastic surgeon’s standpoint, removing a seroma is a minor issue. Unfortunately, if you are from out of town and you are seeing a doctor with different training and experience, he or she may make things sound more complicated than necessary.

We recommend that our patients seek out someone who is comfortable inserting a needle into the area and removing fluid. This can (and should be) any medical doctor. There are no critical anatomical regions in the chest area, and inserting a needle under the skin will not adversely affect your result. Unfortunately, many doctors are reluctant to treat even minor issues that have arisen from the hands of another doctor, often from a common fear of damaging the work done.

You will have to deal with this mentality. Most seromas will be found in the area close to the nipple-areola complex, as this is the primary location of gynecomastia tissue that is treated with liposuction and/or direct tissue removal. This will leave a “space” for fluid to collect.

  1. A common patient complaint would be that one nipple is flat while the other is still puffy.
  2. Did you leave some tissue, doctor?” When dealing with seromas, patience is a virtue.
  3. They happen, and they probably often happen because patients drink too many fluids after treatment, including alcohol.
  4. I understand why this could be frustrating, time consuming and even costly.

But in this case, the benefits of preventing seroma formation outweigh the potential costs of limiting fluid intake. If you are a local patient, I could simply take care of it in my office. If you are, it can be challenging engaging with the health care system to deal with a simple issue.

Seromas do not harm your health.They may resolve on their own without treatment.Limiting fluid intake and can help seromas go away.Seromas are commonly treated by aspirating the fluid. Several aspirations may be required.Seromas lasting more than six weeks are uncommon, but all seromas eventually go away.Seromas can affect the healing process, leaving contour irregularities or a small mass.Patience is a virtue that helps those who develop a seroma.

If my staff or I have suggested you read this information about seromas, I’m sorry for your troubles but I appreciate your understanding. We will all work with you to resolve the issue so that you can move on to enjoying the results of your gynecomastia treatment fully! : How to Treat Seroma Formation After Gynecomastia Surgery

Does ice help seroma?

Answer: Use neither ice nor heat on seroma site. If you are still on antibiotics, this may indeed be slightly more than just a seroma. But if you had non-cloudy seroma fluid aspirated, and your incision looks fine, and there is no redness visible after the aspiration.