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103 thoughts on “Tummy tuck complications – Infection, wound separation, seroma, hematoma”

  • Lisa says:

    Had a tummy tuck in August and heapatoma still in stomach near new belly button still a bit swell numb but sometimes pain

    • Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez says:

      My apologies for this late reply. How is your problem coming along. Is anybody taking care of it?

  • Quincy Nelson says:

    I have an infection and they prescribed me 1 percent cream and antibiotics is that good enough for the infection plus Med Honey to se afterwards

  • Leslie says:

    I had to tummy tuck fluer de lis and lost so much blood. I passed out could not breathe and my hemoglobin dropped. I"m getting blood transfusion now but my hemoglobin will raise up and drop again. Can you explain what is happening. I had weight loss surgery 5 years ago and wanted my skin removed

    • Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez says:

      Hello, I am really sorry for this late reply. How did your problem work out? Did you need more transfusions? are you taking iron now?

  • Jody says:

    Hi, I had a tummy tuck 3 years ago and my stomach is still swollen up between my ribs. It itches inside and their are broken blood vessels on the surface of my skin. When I eat it bloats more and the area is tender to touch sometimes. Please helps, as it looks funny because my lower abs are flat and the upper is hard a swollen. I work out and eat good so.........

    • Dr. Ricardo L. Rodriguez says:

      I am sorry for this late reply, I seldom look at the blog for communication. I hope your problem is resolved. Did it work out ok? Let me know, and I hope you are past this situation.

  • Joann Valdez says:

    My incision of 300 stitches 3 drains became nacoritic within a week off being sent home had to have second surgery and put on a wound vac 7 months later abdominal incision still swells hurts and has ball underneath the skin

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      There is a lot of scar underneath the area and that is probably entrapping nerves. The scar would also explain the bulge. If you want a more detailed consult, contact Leeza at leeza@cosmeticsurg.net Hope you are feeling better!

    • Genny McClintock-Haut says:

      Have them check u for mycobacterium abscesses .. I had ur same issues....it is exactly what happened to me, too and after five months now of pain and suffering, my surgeon Finally found the cause Monday! He had taken a culture and we just got the results Monday. It is an extremely rare complication, but don’t wait too long..... u just get more and more fatigue, sweats, chills, nausea.....icky.. Check out the images online for it. It is exactly how I look. If it is u, show ur surgeon I would say. I feel for u. Good luck

  • Victoria says:

    If u could somehow get intouch so i can show u the pics id really love that no plastic sergen will even take the time to look an diagnose me here gordoymina@gmail.com

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      You need to email Leeza at leeza@cosmeticsurg.net and let her know you want a virtual consult.

  • Victoria says:

    Hi i went out of state for my tummy tuck idk wht happend the ps said it will heal with time but noy it loooks scary an he keeps saying its going along great omg im lost an scaerd i went to the er they drew blood an said i waz fine an sent me home i wish i could show u pics it looks like feddy cruger skin on mmy tummy

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      I hope everything OK now. The process for a second opinion online consult is to contact Leeza at leeza@cosmeticsurg.net, she will give you instructions regarding pictures, timing, etc.

  • Eby says:

    I had a tummy tuck a year ago. Above my incision right after the surgery had a hard lump like swelling which my plastic surgeon said was swelling. 9 months later the lump was still there and he went in 2 months ago to correct it as he said a muscle plication was needed. After that surgery I had issues with fluid collection and it was drained multiple time and finally an incision was made for it to drain naturally( packing with gauze to collect fluid etc). 2 weeks later I noticed the same swelling again. I reached out to my PS he says massage it's just swelling. LUMP/SWELLING IS STILL THERE AND VISIBLE through any type of clothing and is now concentrated on one side. At this point I am depressed and frustrated I don't know what to do. Am wondering if a second opinion would help

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      A second opinion would definitely help, but concretely, an ultrasound will tell wither it is a fluid filled cavity or just swelling.

  • Rachel Avila says:

    I am 3 months post tummy tuck. My insicion open up in 14 days, it was a nightmare. I have a wound Vac for about 2 months now. The insicion is finally closing. My surgeon told to to pray to God that I get better. He was very cold and was not present in the operating room when I was put to sleep. He blames the necrosis on smoking. Mind you I am not a daily smoker. If he thought I would suffer this way, why wouldn't he test my nicotine levels before surgery and send me home for a month before operating if they were high. My nurses who are caring for me now, stated my inscion was closed to tight or some type of Bacteria was collect during the closing. I lost 3 months of work because of this. I hope no one ever goes through this. Thanks for listening.. Rachel Avila...LPN.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Rachel: Sorry to hear about that. We usually have our patients stop smoking completely 2 weeks before surgery. But there are many reasons why skin necrosis can occur, and it does happen to many patients who have "done everything right". Sometimes complications happen and we don't have an explanation for it.

  • Lee says:

    I am 2 1/2 weeks out of and there is an opening where the sutures came undone. I went in and they said ut would heal together but it's much larger than I'm comfortable with. How long does it typically take a wound to heal back together? I hate the way it looks.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Lee: These small wound separations do tend to heal uneventfully. You have to give it some time. I never make judgements about a scar until at least 4 months have gone by. BTW, how is it doing now?

  • Maribel says:

    Hello my name is Maribel I had a tt & lipo about 2 weeks ago I'm having some yellowish discharge coming out of one of the holes we're the drain was connected I'm so scared can u pls give me some advise I'm not taking antibiotics any more .so I'm a little scared I need to know if this is normal or what can I do to make it stop the fluid is light yellowish like if was mixt with Watter doesn't come out so much but I'm still worried it had stoped coming out but then I when to buy a faja when I put it on it was a little tight so I desided to take it of and I saw that it had pull some of my skin up about an inch and now I'm getting some liquid coming out of there as well pls help I asked my doctor and he said it was normal I need help I still feel so tierd and hurt it's that normal

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Maribel: Sorry to get to this now, but I hope your problem has been taken care of by now. As always, if you do not feel satisfied by your Doctor's answer, ask again and do not stop until you feel he has told you all he knows about your problem.

  • Ashley K says:

    My doctor and his staff to this day have not figured out why this had happened to me, but to their disbelief I had a hematoma 9 days after my full tummy tuck with lipo. They had to life flight me from my town down to my plastic surgeon down at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville,TN. Needless to say, I’m a case never heard of til that day. So it can happen at least up to 9 days post op, I’m living proof.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Ashley: That is not unheard of, but it is rare if the abdomen had been completely healed. Sometimes it happens after the drains are removed because the act of removing the drain stirs something up. In any case, happy that you are doing well!

  • Brenda says:

    I had skin removal surgery from my stomach after weight loss about 3 months ago. My stomach was very swollen afterwards and has still not gone down. My doctor did a CT Scan and found Kidney Stones. I had the kidney stones removed and thought that would help but my stomach is still swollen. What could be causing this? Can anyone help?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Brenda: You need to talk to your surgeon. He knows exactly what procedures were done and how long normal recovery is.

  • Guadalupe Orellana says:

    Hi I'm concern becuse I had a TT with Lipo done on the 18 of Sept. everything was fine but then when my drainage was removed I got a infection on the left side of the Incision so had to go back to the Doctor. and he re open my left side and clean it out and left me tubes to drain on the Incision. a week later he removed them and I'm still bleeding where the Incision Doctor said the wound is still fresh so no walking need me off my feet. But I'm concern becuse I'm swollen and i can't seem to Stan strait my skin pulls tight and it hurts .. is this Normal plus when can I where my compresent garment? please help?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Guadalupe: I am sorry I did not answer your post before. I don't look at this blog frequently except to write new material. By now you should have had your surgeon look at the problem or it resolved itself. But what you went through is not common, but it does happen in some patients. It does tend to remove with time.

  • Petrine Bronson says:

    I had a tummy tuck done Aug. 30, had a low grade fever every night for a month. Told the surgeon he said it goes away. Isn't a fever a red flag for infection? He also took out the drain way too soon. I ended up in the ER with a fever of 106, the team of infectious doctors saved my life. I would never go back to that plastic surgeon and therefore I had the drain put back in by a general surgeon at the hospital. He drained SO much crap out of my belly, I couldn't believe my eyes. I immediately began to feel better and that night was the first night in a month without a fever. I started on intervenus antibiotics for a week, came home Sunday, I feel on top of the world. I went from heaven to hell and back again. God bless the infectious doctors, the RN's and the entire staff that took care of me.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Petrine: I am happy you are doing so well. You should let the Plastic surgeon know what happened. He can also learn from this experience. And as you said, thank God for the wonderful Doctors who took care of you!

  • Debbie Lerdo says:

    I had breast cancer they removed tissue from my stomach to do my breast on January 18 2017 Ever since then my stomach is popped up I went to plastic surgeon yesterday and he told me that my muscles in my stomach are separated so I need a operation to put them together so my stomach would go down is this true?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Debbie: Yes, it is true. When they harvest tissue from the stomach they also take muscle and the protective layer of connective tissue that covers the muscle. Sometimes this can result in a weakening of the abdominal wall. The solution is a surgery where they repair the abdominal wall.

  • anna ward says:

    I went to the e.r because I had one big red lump over my insicion from my tummy tuck and two small ones they did a cat scan and blood test and sent me home with antibiotics. Two days later a small insision opened and blood and clear liquid came out and today I noticed to the right of the open part the is draining a small amount if blood there is a dark blueish purple bruise.i am very concerned . Please tell me what I should do.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Anna: It's probably just a small wound infection with will close off on its own. You should talk to your doctor or see him as soon as possible. For things like these, only a Doctor who is examining you in person can give you the best advice.

  • Ginger says:

    I need your advice. Approx 8-10 weeks after TT/MR/lipo I noticed a knot slightly above and to the left of my belly button - a little smaller than a ping pong ball. Asked PS at 12 week appt about it and he said it was scar tissue and to massage it and it would improve. I am not 5 months post op. The knot has not improved and the area is now reddened. It became very painful after massage and PS told me to stop massaging as it was prob scar tissue forming around a suture. I stopped massage several weeks ago. Area is very red and now very tender all the time and the knot now looks similar to a pimple and seems to be getting closer and closer to the skin surface. It seems to be adhered to the underside of my skin and almost has a shinyness to it. I am able to exercise and such, just noticed a lot of soreness when I bend over/rotate. But it is def becoming more of a problem. I have an appt with PA in 3 weeks (12 hours away as I had surgery in another state). Does this seem like scar formation? What else could it be? Can it wait 3 weeks to have it looked at? What can be done about it? I am healing and feeling perfect otherwise! And wish I could post picture as it is really like nothing else I have been able to search online.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Ginger: Sorry for the delay in replying. Our blog is more for release of medical information, not really tuned to patient care. As always, I defer to your surgeon's advice because he knows exactly what was done and I don't. My own patients get my cell phone number and they send me pictures via text message or email. You might try that in the future with your surgeon. It seems like you had a cyst. Let me know, as you probably know by now.

  • Melissa says:

    Hello Doc, I had a tt and liposuction 2 weeks ago and I'm not getting circulation to part of my incision so it's turning black. My question is, is there anything I can put on it, it's hard and black but last night a small piece was bleeding I just don't want an infection. Thank you so much Melissa

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Melissa: Sorry for the delay in answering. This blog is more for dissemination of information than patient care. For ALL events in the recent post operative period you should think first of contacting your surgeon and talking to him as soon as possible. Only he knows the details of what he did and what the dangers are. You had what is called skin necrosis, meaning the skin was deprived of circulation and did not survive. You will most likely need further surgery. If your surgeon does not answer your concerns promptly, you need to SEE another Doctor. Hope everything is going well.

  • Sona says:

    Plz sir help me....plz reply...my question is... I was suffered scar endometriosis resituring...after surgery my drain is getting down....now I suffer my wound left site oily Seroma getting discharge...i want permanent solution in seroma...plz suggest me how to seroma permanent kill...and wound get heal??plz help me sir

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Sona: Oily seroma means probably some of your fat tissue died. You should really bring this to the attention of your surgeon. It may take a while until this is resolved, and you may need further surgery

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Sona: Oily seroma means probably some of your fat tissue died. You should really bring this to the attention of your surgeon. It may take a while until this is resolved, and you may need further surgery. But you need to discuss this with your surgeon.

  • Heidi says:

    I am heee weeks post op and had wound separation they have me doing a bleach therapy in it. My question is will the have to stitch it back up or will it close? It's about 3" my dr cut out some infected part that's why it's so large

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Heidi: It will have to close slowly. It is called closure by "secondary intention". It is standard practice. Unfortunately it may take weeks to close. Ask him about "Vac Therapy" by a company named KCI, it can really accelerate healing.

  • Valerie says:

    Hi Doctor, sorry one more question, I had chin lipo and on one side of my face my vein is sore and tender. Could this be from tightened muscled under the chin causing this vein to swell? I thought it might be a blood clot but the nurse said it wasn't. She said I may need Botox to relax the muscles. Have you heard of this before?

  • Valerie says:

    Hello, I had a tummy tick with muscle repair and lipo 5 weeks ago. I used a pain pump but when the doctor tried to take the catheter out it was stuck on a stitch and he had to break it off. The catheter is still under my skin. Do you feel it's safe to keep it there? Could I get any complications down the line? If I have it removed, he will have to open me up again. Could there be worse complications doing that? I need a second opinion. Thanks so much for your reply!!

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Valerie: We leave many things inside patients like permanent suture material or metal staples. The catheter fragment may or may not get infected but it is not going to be a big problem because it is superficial (above the muscle layer) and the body has walled it off. The infected catheter may be easy to find. In any case, discuss it with your doctor as to the pros and cons. I went through this with a pain pump in a breast augmentation and the patient elected to leave the fragment in. Merry Christmas!

  • Martha roman says:

    Hi, i had a tt in may of 2010 had seroma and fluid extracted once, had pain in belly button and doctor injected something for the pain i cant remember if it was steroid or cortizone well in summer of 2011 i started with discharge from belly button and like tissue of skin in belly button was swollen and red and went to pcp they did swab and came out to be mrsa, it has been recurring since then every other three months sometimes less, recently they did a ct scan and they saw a mass in abdomen my infectious disease specialist said there is nothing to biopsy now im concerned if thats whats causing my recurring infection in belly button and if i need to do a tummy tuck to remove that mass and other infected tissue. I need advise, i was going to consult my ps who did tt in colombia to see what he recommended but he passed away earlier in january of this year. I really need help and guidance on how to stop this bacteria from developing in belly button. Thanks

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Martha: You need to see a Plastic surgeon, and take the CT scan results with you. This needs to be done in person. There are many Board Certified Plastic Surgeons all over in the US, so there are a few in your area. You will get help if you look for it!

  • Alice says:

    I had a tt 8 years ago and a scar revision a year later. Last summer the incision from my belly button down started opening. I went to my GP who told me to keep dry and it should heal. It reopened again went to plastic surgeon which gave me antibiotics and to put gauze there. It reopened last week and I can see a stitch. Please help. I look like I've been in a car accident.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Alice: The stitch is probably the cause of the drainage. Go back to the Plastic Surgeon and he will be able to take it out. Don't worry!

  • Linda says:

    I had tt 3 weeks ago. My left side of my stomach is swollen and hard. I told my ps in my early follow something doesn't feel right on my left side. He said your just swollen. Now 3 weeks later he wants to open me up and drain me. Isn't it to soon to have surgery again

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Linda: Sorry for the delay in answering. Probably you had a seroma. Sometimes they can be aspirated with a needle. Let me know how you took care of it!

  • Tay tay says:

    I had tt surgery 11 weeks ago in the DR. When Drains where removed 11 days after surgery. When I got home I started getting fluid in my lower abdominal. I found a doctor who drains it for $250 and had it drained twice a month ago. The fluid was minimal so I didn't go back. I started working out 2 weeks ago and what I believe to be fluid has reappeared. My belly is really big and swollen. I can't really tell if it's really fluid but it is really soft like a water bed but not wavy. Could this be fluid in my 11th week?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Tay tay: Yes, it could still be fluid but it could also be swelling. The best way to tell is with an ultrasound. Let me know what happens!

  • Miriam Acosta says:

    I GOT SURGERY ON JUNE 29 OF 2000 I HAD INFECTION ALMOST DIED I'M STILL IN PAIN,THEY SAY SCAR TISSUE S ARE DAMAGE THERE IS NO CURE.16 years still suffering.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Miriam: I am sorry to hear this. Is the pain due to trapped nerves in the scar tissue? If so fat grafting may help.

  • Jennifer aguirre says:

    I had a tt and lipo on Monday and i have had high fever since Tuesday. Ranging from 102-102.6. I called the doctor and they acted as if this is normal. Im nervous because if i dont take advil every 4 hours i start shivering and chattering uncontrollably and my fever spikes. Is this normal

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Jennifer: I apologize, I do not look at the blog daily. By now whatever was brewing has probably come to the surface. What happened? If you did not go to an emergency room and this is still going on you should now. Please let us know.

  • Ahdonnashay says:

    My incision has a odor but there is no opening or leakage where the odor is although there is a small mayb about a 1 1/2 opening near my hip, that is not where the odor is, I don't understand what is goin on?? My surgeon says the opening is normal but why is there an odor? My surgery was DEC 3rd 2015 I'm 3weeks post op. Please help!

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Ahdonnashay: You need to address this with your doctor. If he cannot help you, get a second opinion. It is impossible for a surgeon to make an educated decision over the internet without seeing the patient.

  • Sumer says:

    Hello Dr Rodriguez. I have what I believe is a small/medium sized seroma. I had vaser lipo done 10 days ago on abs and mons and scar revision. I now have a waterbed effect since 6 days post op. I would like to just have it lanced in pubic area. I used to work with animals and know that timing is everything on lancing. To soon drain forever to late its an abscess. I'm sick of having complications (TT w/necrosis 5/14-8/14; adhered to wall) now a seroma. I know you guys are all about ascetics but in my experience they seem to disappear when they get lanced. What do you think? If I were your patient would I be able to talk you into lancing it instead of aspirations. Or aspirate first see of it developes again (highly likely) and then lance? Or is lancing out of the ? completely? I don't want my incision to open again. I can live with a scalpel scar in pubic area but not having an open incision again.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Sumer: I hope by now your problem is resolved. In general it is not a good idea to look for answers to complications in the internet. Usually there is just not enough details for the surgeon to be able to answer meaningfully. Your best option is always to get a second opinion from a surgeon who can see the problem first hand and examine you.

  • Cristiane says:

    Hi, my 69 year old best friend had a tummy tuck about 12 days ago, I am 40 years old and I had one 17 years ago and no problems, my friend garment from day one was like a big old underwear not tight at all, which I found that very weird, since mine was like the one you talk about in your blogs that you use. I took her to the doctor today, she still draining about 2 full ones daily, I didn't think he should have taken it out, I wonder if she has seroma. Please help

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      It is really hard to make judgements on patients that are recent post ops that I have not seen. You need to address these concerns with her Surgeon.

  • Sebastian says:

    Hello Dr Rodriguez my wife had surgery 2 weeks ago in the Dominican republic for a tt and Lipo and bbl but in her middle incision there's a hole that has been seeking out puss and little blood but the hole is big enough for me to stick my pinky in we clean the area and put gauzes to cover the area is this common and if so how long till it closes or do we need to take her to hospital to get restitched. Starting to get real nervous

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Sebastian: This is one of the unfortunate results of going overseas to get the surgery done. Unfortunately this cannot be restated now. It will have to go through a period of doing dressings and packing to the wounds before it can be restitched. We are talking about a period of weeks. You should go to a hospital and seek a plastic surgeon. Depending on your health plan you may or may not get this covered under insurance. I would be surprised if you do not end up having expenses out of pocket. But above all, seek medical attention.

  • Denise says:

    I had a tt 3 mos. ago and i have 3 holes along the incision that are producing yellowish pus my surgeon said its from my sutures but it been pussing for 10 weeks is this normal or how do I know its not MRSA?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Denise: They are most probably what we call "suture abscesses". Don't worry, they are usually very well managed by packing with iodoform gauze. It is probably not MRSA. If it was you'd be very sick. In any case you need to call your surgeon and let him know of your concerns.

  • ZaraLee says:

    I have a ?. I had a tummy tuck 7/2013. 8 months after my op I had stiches sticking out of my belly button and on one side of my tummy tuck, the Dr then numbed the areas and began to pull some stiches out, the belly button part really hurted a lot so he stopped. Today I'm in really bad pain and I feel a big growing knot on the side of my belly button. It hurts to bend,walk or to do anything. Do u think it's the stiches that bunched up while he was pulling or a hernia? Going to see my Dr tomorrow

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      ZaraLee: How did the visit with your doctor go? Was he able to answer your questions? I h0ope everything settled in a satisfactory way. Merry Christmas!

  • dr ashwini says:

    Hi, I under went abdominoplsty a month back my suture libe open up around approximately 10 cm s and has a yellow fluid discharge which is coming down (I hope) .my doc says it will settle down ..He says he won't suture it . And asked me to discontinue compression garments . I am scared how long it takes for the wound to heal .can I wear pressure garments during thus time .plz guide me Ashwini

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Ashwini: Your doctor is right in not offering to suture it. This will heal by packing over several weeks or a couple of months. That is the normal course. You will probably need a scar revision after that. But as far as more practical advice, you really need to rely on your surgeon or the Doctor who is seeing you in person. Hope this helps!

  • Stephanie Rodrw says:

    Yes I have a question!! I had a tummy tuck on 3/12/13 it was done by a dr in florida & then I returned to NC right after I got home I started swelling ALOT so I contacted a local plastic surgeon who did scans ^ said I had an extreme amount of fluid collecting"seroma" so he drained me that day and got a littlle over 9 syringes full, after that I returned to him every other week ti have more drained and my incision looked like it was healing good ! I didnt see this dr for about. 3 WEEKS & noticed more fluid gathering and my incision drawing way up on one side and had so much fluid in the front pelvic area that I bent over n felt a pop like a bee sting looked a saw that a big part of the middle incision was hanging down & Very Painful, the dr drained this again to give me some relief and the fluid instead of coming out orange or red it looked like pickle juice or bright green urine!! Since this and so much pain iny abdomen and my incision which hurts now worse than right after surgery n still collecting fluid this plastic surgeon up here tells me that I need to get my family dr to refer me to a surgeon to put in a drain cause theres nothing normal about still developing seromas almost a year and 1/2 after tummy tuck!! IN SORRY THIS IS SO LONG I JUST WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR OPINION ON WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT U HAVE TOLD YOU!! IN PAIN , DEFORMED & DESPERATE!! THANK YOU DR GOD BLESS!!

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Stephanie: Get another opinion from another plastic surgeon if the present one does not want to operate. Regardless, you may need to have to have a repeat procedure to remove the seroma cavity. And since it was cosmetic surgery, insurance may or may not cover it. That is why the Plastic Surgeon said you needed a referral from your primary care physician- that may help you get insurance coverage. But you may need to pay for it.

  • Danielle William says:

    I had a hernia repair with tummytuck 1 month half later I have a large lump on right side , that has been asperited 3 times and drained. Please advise me what to donthe area hurt its swollen and it has heat in the area.what should I do

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Danielle: This is a problem you need to address with your surgeon, You have to let him know you are worried. What you have is called a "seroma" or fluid build up of serum. It is not dangerous by itself, but can be if it becomes infected.

  • zinia says:

    Why do i feel like i have sticks inside of me that move when ever i move? i just had atummy tuck it really feels funny like theres something lose inside of me. I told the surgeon who did the procedure and she said she dont think i have anything to worry about it is very uncomfortable. any advice?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Zinia: Not having done your surgery, there's very little I can add. I would just suggest to ask your surgeon very detailed questions and ask to be examined carefully. Don't take no for an answer.

  • Sammy says:

    Greetings Dr Rodriguez, I had the mommy makeover TT, BA and lipo on flanks on 7/26, at 6 days post op I experienced heavy bleeding bulbs reached 75cc and 100cc. Four hrs later dizziness, cold sweats, pale, loss of air. I called PS but wasn't avail and his nurse advise to bed rest, that it could be of too much activity. Which it wasn't I was just walking more per the instructions. Next day on my post op appt Dr was not avail just nurse. She reassure me it was just swelling, not hematoma or seroma. Five days later Dr aspirates with syringe through drains some old blood. I get home same day and hit fever from 99-102 through out the day. Next day I go to ER where they performed all kids of tests for blood clots, I was tachichardiac, and my red blood cells dropped to 8 and white cells were at 10. They discharged me to go see my PS 2 days later when he removed drains thinking that was the cause of fever. Later that same day, fever continues, right numb leg and chills. Go back to ER and was hospitalized to treat infection for 5 days with 4 different types of antibiotics. Next day after my discharged PS opened incision to drain old blood, only about 100cc came out. Today 8/22/12 still in pain hematoma is causing pressure on my right leg; CT scan revelead it measures 13cm. hard spots and tender still. PS closed incision after second surgery. What are my options now, I have already paid another PS for second opinion and agreed that this should have been taken care right when bleed happened that at this point time will tell. Should I seek further help such as lymphatic massages? I don't want this hematoma to turn into scar tissue if it doesn't reabssorbs . Please advise. Thanks in advance.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Sammy: Since the other plastic surgeon has seen you he is the best person to handle the case from now on. He knows you, he has seen you in person. A Plastic Surgeon in the internet has very little to add compared to a guy who has seen yo in person and has examined you. For what its worth, compression garments really help to reduce and resolve scars.

  • liz says:

    Hi Dr. Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez I had a tt and a bb.on march 26, 2012 and today may, 26 2012i went to the gym and was doing the leg press and felt an uncomfortable lil pain in my stomach and i felt it and feels sore plus a little bump, could my sutrues have ripped and is that dangerous?

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Liz: Most likely not. It probably is a little fluid or scar, but to really know, you should see your doctor.

  • Jasmine says:

    Hi Dr. Rodriguez, I had a tt on 4.16.12, had jp drain for 8 days (never measured more than 25cc in 24 hr period), 4 days after drain being pulled my PS had to aspirate 360cc from a seroma. Three days after that, PS aspirated 420cc of seroma. Four days after that, PS could only drain 40cc. He couldn't pull more fluid. Went into surgery again on 5.9.12 to drain seroma and reinsert drain (this time a Davol drain). He discovered a hematoma which he also excised. I haven't emptied my drain since first post-op appt on 5.11.12. It is now 5.14.12 and there is maybe 100cc. I figure at my next post-op appt (5.15.12) my PS will pull the drain b/c of low output. Is this wise? Should I keep it longer just in case? I feel compressed enough, but I want the PS and nurse to help me into a smaller garment just in case (I have a garment that has shoulder straps). Also...should I still be a little tender where the hematoma was excised?? Or should I not feel anything? Can hematomas recur if they are excised? Thank you.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Jasmine: Sorry we did not answer before. How are you coming along? Just to let you know, with the repeat surgery you had it would be normal and expected to have a longer recovery period than normal. Just be sure to keep wearing compression, it is great for scar resolution and control of swelling.

  • ethel says:

    i have had smart lipo 8 months ago. have had burning, and pain every since. i thought i may have an ucler but was check. no i dont . the burning gets so bad some times it wakes me up. if i eat more than i should it feels like i am riping apart... whats the problem ????

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Ethel: I have answered your posts in the other places you posted questions. If you think we can help you contact us at kelly@cosmeticsurg.net Hope this helps!

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      June: Could be any number of things. The most common could be a retained suture. You need to talk to your surgeon or a Plastic Surgeon where you live who can examine you.

  • Lu says:

    Dr. Rodriguez thank you again for all your help. It's funny you should say that because I already mentioned you to a few friends of mine that are fellow bodybuilding competitors. I'm sure you'll be hearing from a few of them soon as they have a lot of questions before they dive in... Most of them are for breast augmentation and 2 regarding stretch marks along their thighs. I compete in the bikini as well as figure bodybuilding categories - this past october I qualified for the nationals in Canada. I will be competing in June 2012 at that level. That's one of the reasons why I wanted to get my tummy tuck done. Bodybuilding and competing is really a hobby. My profession is Creative Director & Marketing Consultant in the field of advertising. Now that my husband and I have our two kids and no plans of having anymore, it was time to hit the stage and compete... but I did need to get my tummy taken care of. Both kids were 9 pounders and I'm really small so you can imagine the shape my tummy was in. After I had my daughter I went up to 165 lbs - my pre-baby weight was 120 lbs. So I decided to take a year to get rid of of the body fat and get back in shape. At my last show I was 117lbs and my transformation from the day I started has been amazing. Through clean eating, a strategic workout regimen and a lot of dedication even on days when I didn't feel like it, I managed to get back into shape. I'm hoping I can compete this coming June. Hopefully this recovery doesn't take more than it should so I can get back to my 300 plus lb leg presses etc LOL! I need at least 5 months to gain some more muscle and then lean out. But here I am December 26th 5 weeks post surgery and I can tell I still have fluids in my abdomen and feeling very tights on the lower part of my tummy ---- I'm hoping he drains the remainder on Jan 6th even though he said last time there was not much in there.... Last time I asked him if I was on track to be released fully to exercise --- he first said yes... and then I told him "By the way doc, you do realize I leg press 300-400 lbs and bench press 80-100 lbs right? because when you release me that's the training I'll be going back to.." He then paused and said wow I can't leg press that much. Mrs. Diaz you'll have to wait until I'm comfortable releasing you to do that." ---- Which indicates to me that he may not release me as scheduled.... Oh well --- no turning back now. Recovery comes first. Thanks again Dr. Rodriguez. I will spread the word of your site to my friends.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Lu: Hope Jan 6 went well. If you check out the girl on this blogpost she had a repair of the rectus diastasis going thru the umbilicus. This procedure can be very useful for bodybuilders that had separated muscles after pregnancy without too much skin excess. That way they have NO SCAR except for the small scar around the belly button. BTW, saw your pictures, and you are fantastic. You should be very proud of your accomplishments, with a family and profession in addition! Super Mom indeed!

  • Lu says:

    Hello again Dr. Rodriguez. I visited my PS yesterday and he extracted 3 more syringes of old blood. My tummy looks flat now but it still feels tight. I noticed redness along one spot on my incision. I asked him about it and he put me back on antibiotics for a week. I woke up this morning to find yellowish liquid coming out of one small spot. I'm hoping I can see him again today. I spoke to his nurse and she said it was probably the infection coming out and to just wipe the area and keep it dry. I'm hoping I can see him so he can have a look at it. I'm wondering if he should be closing that particular spot later on by stitching it... it's only about 3 cm. I'll let you know what happens. Thank you for all your help.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Lu: Closing it now would be a mistake. It needs to drain. And yes, you need to see him again soon. He is handling it right. BTW Lu, if you appreciate what I have done just spread the word about my site to other people online and to your friends. Merry Christmas!

  • Lu says:

    Thank you Doctor Rodriguez. To be honest with you, I failed myself by not digging deeper before my surgery. I've read a lot about the Lockwood technique and kick myself for not getting a surgeon that uses it. I would recommend to anyone that's thinking about getting a TT to ensure they get a physician that practices it. I'm going to see my PS January 6th - hopefully I don't need many more sessions. I'm hoping once the swelling goes down I will be able to stand up straight like before the surgery. My back is killing me and my PS told me to just stand up straight but I feel like my obliques are going to rip. I'm considering Lymphatic massages and stretching. I just don't want to do any damage inside. Is there anything you can recommend that I could do at home to help? It's been 4 weeks today since my surgery. Thanks again Dr. Rodriguez

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Lu: You need to get on the phone and call your Doctor and you need to talk to see him. Tell him you still have fluid and you want it aspirated. You do not want to wait until Jan 6 to see him. You also need to be wearing compression 24/7. Let me know what happens after you see him.

  • Dr. Jones says:

    Like all surgeries, there are dangers of complication afterwards even thought surgeons do their best in the OR to prevent this. Still, it is difficult to predict how a human’s body will react to certain types of surgeries, even when all the possibilities have been explored first.

  • Lu says:

    Dr. Rodriguez - Thank you for post above. I've been trying to find out if extracting hematoma fluids after a tummy tuck may require a few visits. I recently had a tummy tuck. I have a hematoma. My doctor told me to wait a few days for the liquid to soften up. I've been to see him 3 times now and the first time he extracted a little bit of fluids. The other two times he's extracted a couple of larger syringes worth. My abdomen looks smaller but it seems like the fluids move down on the abdomen. He's having me come in again... I'm wondering up to how many visits it may take to extract all fluids and is that safe... I'm worried the hematoma will get infected. I had surgery November 22 2011 and today is December 16th. So I'm 3 weeks post-op. Is there any information or recommendation you can give me regarding this? I can't seem to find information regarding how "normal" it is for various sessions to be required to extract a hematoma via needle... your help would be greatly greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Lu: It seems he is handling it appropriately. It may take several sessions to drain the hematoma completely. I would continue to wear a compression girdle continuously (day and night) until the problem is resolved. I have not had this problem since I started using the Lockwood technique for abdominoplasty.

  • Extenze says:

    I am so scared to any complications. I want a healthy body that's why I manage to eat healthy foods and do daily exercises. Anyway, thanks for sharing those info above I have learned enough about the subject.

  • YolandaChanelle says:

    When getting a Brazilian Butt Lift i understand they take fat from one area and then purify it and then its distributed accordingly to the buttocks. However, if fat is taken from back all the way up to bra line and love handles, plus upper and lower abs can this fat be taken by liposuction? or do u have to get a tummy tuck? and actually be cut and have that lower abdominal scar? what is better? i left a vm message and am interested in procedure please contact me thanks!!

    • Dr. Ricardo L Rodriguez says:

      Yolanda: You should be getting an email from Kelly pretty soon. As far as where the fat comes from it really depends on the individual patient. On some cases the patient benefits more from a tummy tuck, on others, liposuction only will do. If you have a lot of stretch marks and a split muscle from pregnancy then a tummy tuck may be indicated. I'm looking forward to seeing you!