Question:
Has anyone experienced continued incisional leaking at 5+ months post-op?

I started incisional leaking at 2 weeks post-op. My doctor was not concerned, but at 3 months, he said it was uncommon. I have to pack the "holes" everyday and keep bandages on them. I am now 5+ months post-op and still leaking. It has slowed down some, but has not quit yet.    — Gretchen C. (posted on April 22, 2000)

April 22, 2000
As an R.N IN CRITICAL CARE heres my 2 cents..the drainage may be "normal" leaking from "fat" tissue in and around your incision, but i need to ask if the color is anything but clear and what about order? An order would indicate an infection which will alter the color from clear to possible yellloe grenn ect. Is the person your refering to as doctor your surgon or your PCP? Please update both. If the drinage is "trending " down in regards to amount then you are most likely healing and shouldn't have any problems. HOPE THIS HELPED?????
   — TJ J.

April 22, 2000
o boy -- per my above entry i mean odor not order-at work and we'er talking about ordering out--sorry----
   — TJ J.

April 23, 2000
I'm certainly no medical expert and I have only been leaking 2 weeks but like TJ said, my doctor told me it was fat. He called it "Fat Necrosis". Fat does not have a blood supply going to it, so when it suffers some type of trauma (like cutting it open and stapling it) it dies. When it dies it liquifies, thus the discharge from the incision. My Dr. also told me that if it did not resolve itself he would have to pack it (Ugh! been there before!). Again, I'm not a doctor so I don't presume to try and diagnose you. It just sounds a lot like what I'm going through...Hope this helps:-)
   — Alicia B.

April 23, 2000
My incision leak lasted 6 months. It started out as one inch long and a inch and a half deep. It took six months to close. I stopped packing it after about 4 months. My doctor said just to clean it several times daily and it should close on its own. And it did. Good Luck. Linda F. Open RNY 8-14-99 100 pounds lost (so far)
   — Linda F.