Question:
Should I still be draining from incision 3 weeks out?

I am 3 wks post-op from an open RNY. My surgeron didn't put a drain in my incision during the surgery and about a week after the surgery, I started draining from 3 or 4 spots in the incision. Sometimes, when I have the bandage off of it, the fluid will bubble out of the incision. Is this normal for 3 wks out??    — suehorn (posted on April 16, 2003)

April 16, 2003
I have not had surgery but any time an incision is bubbling it should warrant a call to the doctor.
   — Jeanne C.

April 16, 2003
Susan, I would call your doc and see what's going on. You could possibly have an infection. Could be normal, honestly don't know. But I had problems similar to that maybe a month after an open surgery, and it turned out to be infected. CHeck with your surgeon just to be safe! Goodluck to you!
   — Lezlie Y.

April 16, 2003
I'm not sure what you mean by "bubble"...I had an open RNY, no tube. I leaked a lot...probably up until the 4th or 5th week, and I was assured that this was completely normal. In fact, one of my internal stitches popped up to the surface of my skin, which triggered another round of leakage (but not very much at all)...and that was probably at 6 weeks out. Its a very good thing that the fluid is finding its way out on its own. I had a seroma (where the fluid doesn't have an outlet, so it just sits there) at the lower portion of my incision...which required my incision being reopened for drainage. That was a lot less fun than the "regular" drainage that occurred at the top of my scar! As long as its escaping, I wouldn't worry. It won't last forever.
   — Amy W.

April 16, 2003
Yes call the surgeon. Most likely these are just spots that need to be opened a little and packed with guaze to help them heal out from the bottom. I had 3 spots and the 2 towards the bottom healed up within a few weeks of starting to pack them. The third one has not healed out and I am 10 weeks out but they knocked me out and went exploring yesterday to find that there was a big old nasty stitch down there irritating it so it kept producing fluid and that's why it would not heal. Now it should finally heal. It's best to pack the holes so as to keep them from getting infected, although some surgeons disagree. One of the holes I had was opened up at about 3 weeks because the fluid was building up under the skin and it was quite painful. The skin was so stretched from the fluid that it took just a q-tip to push through the thin skin. No pain or nothing.
   — zoedogcbr

April 16, 2003
Call and call again. it took 4 months for someone to fiqure out I had an abcess on my stomach from the drain tube coming out to soon. I was lucking enough to get another surgery. and now a big hose haning out my back for possibly 3 mos. Don't get me wrong I am grateful to be alive, but it was something (if my surgeon had taken me serious when I said I was sick) that could have been prevented. Don't wait, seek help. sherri
   — Sherri H.

October 23, 2003
I am a month out and I'm just slowing down from the drainage. But I had a bubble (like a blister) but then it burst and then it kinda slowed down. My surgeon said it will stop on it's own. I didn't fuss with it. I just kept it clean.
   — Tee P.