Question:
Has anyone had drainage from their navel?

I think I have a new one for you. I'm almost 5 weeks post-op and this is what is going on.I had an open RNY and my incision goes all the way to the edge of my navel. My drain tube was at the very end of the incision, but that closed up and healed up weeks ago. All of my incision is closed and there is no drainage at all. Now for the last few days there has been some drainage out of my navel..yes from inside it. It is clear, kinda tacky. There is no pain, no fever, and NO odor at all. When it dries it becomes crusty with a very very slight tinge of yellow. This is coming from deep inside my navel.I plan to call my Dr. tomorrow but wanted to ask if anyone has had this or has any idea what is going on. This is weird.    — Betty H. (posted on May 21, 2000)

May 21, 2000
Hi Betty, Yes I had drainage from my navel. I found it about a week post op, mine at that time was a bloody/clear fluid, serosanguinous. Of course this all happened on a weekend, but I did call my surgeon. I got the surgeon on call and he told me that it sound like I had a hernia repair that was draining. I didn't know I had had a hernia repaired but I figured he knew more about this than I did. I had an appointment that week so when I saw my surgeon he confirmed that he did have to repair an umbilical hernia, of which he forgot to mention. I was advised to clean it with peroxide and try to keep it dry. I packed my belly button with cotton as something to absorb the gunk coming out. It healed fine after that, oh and like you it had no odor just the drainage. Hope this helps...Maybe you had an umbilical hernia repaired that you weren't aware of. Good Luck...
   — Marni

May 21, 2000
Betty, you've exactly described the fluid that drained from my navel. My surgery was a lap DS and one of my incisions was in the navel. My drainage began at about 2 weeks post-op and lasted for a week. It was completely harmless, and per my surgeon's advice, I did as Marni did, packed it with cotton and used peroxide to clean it. Best of luck to you.
   — Duffy H.

May 22, 2000
Thanks so much for all who wrote me about this. And thanks Marin W. - You were right. I called the Doctor this morning and YES he did repair an unbilical hernia. He did say the day before surgery that he thought I had one, but he never said anything about it after surgery. They can't understand why 5 weeks later it starts to drain. Just told me to clean it and watch it. I hope it stops soon. So I had RNY, herina repair, gall bladder removed and was only in the hospital 2 days. Hey!!!!! I did good :-) 5 weeks post-op -- 26 pounds & 31 inches gone
   — Betty H.