Fluid Buildup after surgery

[Lauriebell]

I had a lumpectomy on 9/17.  Drainage tubes were not used.  Now I have these fluid pockets.  I had it drained on Thurs and then it was all back and went and had it drained again on Friday.  Now it seems the fluid pocket is still there plus I'm sore from all the draining.  Do surgeons normally put in a drainage tube after a lumpectomy?

[rockchalk76]

I had a lumpectomy on 9/17/08.  I didn't have any drainage tubes.  My surgeon told me he only uses them with mastectomies.  I'm sorry to hear that you are having so much fluid build up.  Was your incision in the top or bottom half of your breast?  I don't believe I had a seroma or hematoma and the surgeon didn't say anything about it, even though I was quite swollen.  What bothered me most was the blood "perculating" down through my breast to the underside.  The surgeon said that since my incision was on the top side of my breast, the blood gradually flows "downhill" to the underside.  It was a "lovely" shade of yellow for a while.  My nipple is still pretty sensitive from the injections they gave me for the sentinel node procedure.  It didn't hurt at the time but sure did after the lidocaine wore off.  I can really understand your frustration as I'm so sick of seeing doctors and sitting in waiting rooms.  I hope this resolves so you can have some time to rest at home.  Take care, Kay

[Miriam876]

I had my lumpectomy on 10/01/08 to remove a 1.5 cm invasive ductal carcinoma and DCIS together in my right breast.  A carried a drainage tube with me until last Friday (10/24/08) when the surgeon decided to remove it because I finallty was draining less than 20ml per day.  After the surgery, I was told to empty the pump everynight and write down the drainage volume.  If it is less than 20ml, I go back to get it removed.  My surgeon said that the "20ml" line is because "statistically" they think the body re-absorbs on its own about 20ml and less, anything above 20ml, will end up stored somewhere in your body and thus the need to do a manual drainage. As I had to do some exercises with my arm to retrieve all my arm movement following the removal of 9 lumph nodes (my arm went num) so I was draining around 60ml the two first week following the surgery.
Hope the above helps.
Take care.  Miriam

[japdip]

Not usually ... this may be natures way of filling up the empty space ... it may come to the point where the fluid is left alone to be absorbed on it's own the way a hematoma is left to resolve itself over time. Seromas do occur fairly frequently after surgery. Were you advised to wear a tight sports type bra ?? If you Surgeon has no objection this might help with the soreness.    Regards ....