Question:
Open RNY Incisicion oozing

Today after bending over to feed my cat I found that my shirt and pants were dripping with a mystery liquid. The nurse from my surgeon's office believes it's a hematoma venting through an unhealed part of my insicion and will continue to drain for quite sometime. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?    — origamistar (posted on March 20, 2009)

March 20, 2009
Yes I did. I continued to press as much of that out as I could. I had this on several occasions...once after a c-section and it was several inches deep. I had to have a friend pack it with gauze every day for almost a month, but went in to see the doc on occasion to make sure it was healing properly. And I had a small one after my lap band surgery. With the lap band I called the doctor's and they didn't seem to worried about it, but to me it was a big deal. But I used clean tissue and just kept pressing it to squeeze the liquid out. Pretty soon, it wasn't coming out as bad and doc said it seemed to be healing fine. (It's like a yellowish liquid right?, that's what mine was.)
   — Carrie S.

March 20, 2009
Hi Vannessa, I had an open RNY 3 years ago. I had no drainage during the hospital stage. When I could finally shower, the bottom part of the incision just opened up and drained alot. Since I had no drains after the surgery, the warm water just opened it up. For about a week I dressed it with a feminine pad. It stopped almost as suddenly as it started. Good luck.
   — babs71958

March 21, 2009
I had some drainage as well with open RNY...It's normal! I wore a mens sleeveless tee sirt with a femine pad stuck to the inside of the tee shirt to absorb that stuff and keep my binder and clothes clean as well as to hold myself nice and tight (as per surgeon). It helped! I wore that binder a very long time. (until it no longer fit...I never ever took it off, except to shower...It kept my scar nice and thin as well...and held in my belly so I looked smoother in clothes too!
   — .Anita R.

March 23, 2009
I had gastric bypass surgery 2/10/09 and did great as far as healing went. I did notice a small blood-blister looking place on my incision but it had all healed very nicely. This area did open up and fluid practically gushed from it and scared me half to death! I called my doc and went to see him and was told it was a seroma. This is very common with various incisions and I was told mine was small. They packed it with medicated gauze and I was told that it needed to stay open until the drainage stopped so they dressed it and we changed the bandage daily. It is healing nicely and is no longer being packed. Don't freak out like I did but keep your doctor informed so that it doesn't turn into something else. Good luck!
   — lt63