Question:
Is a large amount of fluid leaking from incision normal?
Hi all you post ops .. I need your help. I am 3 1/2 weeks post op and thought I was doing very well. My incision seemed to be healing nicely. However, over the last week or so, I noticed a large knot developing right where my bra begins at the sternum. I wrote this off to normal and went about my every day activities. Last night, the knot really began to hurt and I ran to the restroom in the restaurant we were in. The bump that was there had burst .. I guess it was a pocket of infection .. there was a brownish bloody liquid running from there. A HUGE amount of it. I freaked out. I didn't know what to do. So, I cleaned myself up and went home. There, I filled the area with hydrogen peroxide and covered it in sterile gauze. This morning, I called my doctor's office, but he was off to the ASBS meeting. The doctor on call said it was good the "serum" came out and that it was normal. Is this normal? It doesn't hurt so much today, but its still leaking. I'm worried I may have an infection in my incision. Anyone else who has experienced this, please reply. — Sonya H. (posted on June 16, 2000)
June 16, 2000
I totally understand what you are going through. It happened to me and
believe it or not it is normal. I could not believe the amount of
drainage. I thought it would never stop. It did though it took a little
while.
— Lynda N.
June 16, 2000
I had my surgery on 05/22/00, so I'm about 3 1/2 weeks post-op, too. I had
a tiny bite of brownish drainage approx. 3 inches above my navel for about
4 days, but keep a topical antibiotic on it with a sterile guaze bandage.
My incision is healing very nicely now. I guess a small amount of drainage
is good in the beginning because any infection is leaving the body. Take
care of yourself & keep us posted...
— Anna R.
June 16, 2000
I had my surgery on 05/22/00, so I'm about 3 1/2 weeks post-op, too. I had
a tiny bite of brownish drainage approx. 3 inches above my navel for about
4 days, but keep a topical antibiotic on it with a sterile guaze bandage.
My incision is healing very nicely now. I guess a small amount of drainage
is good in the beginning because any infection is leaving the body. Take
care of yourself & keep us posted...
— Anna R.
June 16, 2000
I had my surgery on 05/22/00, so I'm about 3 1/2 weeks post-op, too. I had
a tiny bite of brownish drainage approx. 3 inches above my navel for about
4 days, but keep a topical antibiotic on it with a sterile guaze bandage.
My incision is healing very nicely now. I guess a small amount of drainage
is good in the beginning because any infection is leaving the body. Take
care of yourself & keep us posted...
— Anna R.
June 16, 2000
Sonya, don't know if it's the same thing but I too had a discharge that was
slightly yellow/brown. Mine was from the bottom of the incision tho. I
was told that it's called Fat Necrosis. Fat has no blood suppy to it, so
when it's disturbed of messed with, as in surgery, it dies. When it dies
it liquifies, thus the discharge. As long as it not pus-like or smelly
it's not infected. Hope this helps...
— Alicia B.
June 16, 2000
I don't think any physician should diagnose a problem of this magnitude
over the telephone...especially since he isn't YOUR physician. If this
continues to drain and hurt, I would go to an ER or urgent care center.
Good luck...Mary Fannin, RN
— Mary F.
Click Here to Return