Question:
Does anyone have any advice for taking care of a seroma?

I have an appointment to see my surgeon this coming Wednesday. It seems I have developed a small seroma on the incision site (where my JP drain was). :( I know it's a seroma as I've read various things about it on the web and my surgeon's nurse says it's most likely that. Am I going to have to take antibiotics? Is he going to cut my incision open again? Help! As I said, so far it's a small seroma (small but yucky and draining quite a bit). Thanks much, Anna LAP RNY 7/3/02 -40 pounds    — Anna L. (posted on August 4, 2002)

August 4, 2002
I had a few seromas early on, all i did was keep the area clean and put a small gauze pad over it so it wouldn't leak all over my shirt. I also dabbed some hydrogen peroxide on it twice a day and that kept it from getting infected and seemed to heal it up faster. Just make sure the leakage isn't green or smelly if it is that is a sign of infection and your surgeon will need to give you antibiotics for it. Good Luck!
   — Tammy N.

August 4, 2002
As the previous poster said, if the drainage turns yellow or green, or has an odor to it, call your doc right away. Seromas can get infected. Other then that, just make sure that you keep a gauze over it to catch the drainage. Change the gauze a few times a day to keep your skin dry. Your doc will not open your incision unless it goes on for an extended period of time nad requires packing ot get it to stop. My seroma lasted about 3 weeks, and closed doen on its own. MOst of them do. BTW- Many people get seromas after surgery. Not that big of a deal...mostly just a pain!!
   — Vicki L.

August 6, 2002
hey Anna- the short answers to your questions are maybe & maybe. If the seroma becomes infected, yes to the antibiotics. If the seroma is trapped and not draining, the liklihood of infection is increased. And yes, the incision may have to be re-opened, as mine was, to allow drainage. Sometimes the drainage can be done by weekly needle aspirations. Relax, it's a pain in the patootie, but if this is the WORST complication you have, you pretty darn lucky!
   — Karen N.

April 7, 2008
It happens alot. sadly for me, my drainage stopped completely, healed at a normal rate, but then I got another seroma, and a new drainage site. I then got a third drainage site at about 8 months post op, and I am looking to maybe having a 4th. They arent fun if you dont have them use the needle because they become very painful. It all depends on how long it has been since your surgery.
   — bigb4ever