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If this doesn't work, an irritant called a sclerosant can be injected into the seroma space, the aim of which is to irritate the lining of the open area and promote scar closure. In the most stubborn of cases, a return trip to the operating room is warranted to remove the chronic seroma lining and directly close the open space. Hopefully your seroma will resolve without these more aggressive steps, but your surgeon should be willing to support you through the process. Make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible if you have issues with your seroma. They can take anywhere from a month to a year to heal, and you should not have to live with pain and discomfort while recovering. Talking to your doctor as soon as you can will help prevent complications.
They appear as lumps filled with yellow or white fluid, and are not a life-threatening condition by themselves. They become a problem when the fluid continues to collect, often resulting in pain and the threat of infection. Though there are some things you can do at home to manage your seromas, only your surgeon or doctor can suggest or administer the proper treatment. No medication treats or cures seromas; doctors allow them to resolve on their own, or they drain them.
Reducing Seromas in Other Areas
Speak with your doctor or care provider before you have any surgery. A seroma may be a complication even if your type of surgery is not on this list. Typically, a seroma may arise about 7 to 10 days after surgery. After surgery, many people are treated using a device like the Jackson Pratt drain to take out the extra fluid while they are healing. A seroma can also develop after an injury, such as a fall or car accident.
Note that the numbers in parentheses (1, 2, etc.) are clickable links to medically peer-reviewed studies. If you've had breast cancer, the hardest part about coping with a seroma is likely the worry it can cause over cancer coming back. Getting lumps checked out right away can help ease your mind as well as catch any reoccurrence quickly. Suggested that a certain suturing technique could minimize seroma formation. Applying heat via a heating pad or warm, moist compresses can help encourage the fluid to drain, speed the healing process, and reduce pain.
How do seromas develop?
10 This does not automatically imply that this leads to more deep venous thrombosis/pulmonary emboli risk, because those studies have not been performed yet, but it may turn out to be an important factor. Thus, when we utilize garments postoperatively, we endeavor to avoid overly aggressive compression, especially in the abdomen. The contents of the website such as text, graphics, images, and other materials contained on the website ("Content") are for informational purposes only.
Surgeons must balance the risk of seroma with the effectiveness of cautery in preventing bleeding. This is a blockage of lymph ducts that causes a potentially uncomfortable or painful buildup of fluid. Research shows that seromas roughly double the risk of lymphedema after breast cancer surgery. For over 20 years, we have had to manage a significant number of seromas, particularly in the massive weight loss patients in our practice. For the first 10 years of practice, attempts to reduce seromas were based on the extensive use of multiple drains that were left in place for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, this approach was not very successful and led to a great deal of time working with drains and seromas postoperatively.
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If you are about to undergo surgery, it’s beneficial to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a seroma and other potential surgical complications. Most seromas are harmless and will go away on their own, but in some cases they may become infected or lead to further complications, so you’ll want to take the right steps to avoid these issues. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Compression bandages were often used in the past to prevent seromas, but this practice is much less common now.
In the axilla, drains are still used but are left in no more than 4 to 5 days. Plastic surgeons experienced in the treatment of soft tissue injuries know that seromas are common. Recent studies on the pathophysiology of seroma formation and various methods of treatment have been published. One study following 150 participants found that 49% of the patients experienced a seroma after breast surgery.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Seroma?
Elevating the area that has a seroma can help the fluid to drain in some cases. After surgery, follow instructions from your doctor regarding rest time and what positions are best for drainage. Many doctors will recommend that you limit activity after surgery until swelling has reduced. Also, too much activity after a surgical procedure may slow healing in some cases.
Some substances that are commonly used in sclerotherapy include talc and tetracyclines, which are antibiotics. Bigger seromas may require aspiration, which is when the fluid is drained with a syringe. A larger seroma may need to be drained more than once before the seroma goes away. If it persists after many draining attempts, your doctor may recommend that you remove the entire seroma cavity surgically.
Seroma is the formation of a lump at the site of surgery or incision. A seroma usually resolves on its own, but it does not mean that treatment is not necessary. An untreated seroma can get infected and lead to calcification as well.
You can usually walk around and do light activity, but refrain from exercise that will stress the incision area. Seromas are common after surgery and usually they are harmless, but they don’t come without the risk of complications. A seroma may prolong your recovery and hospital stay after surgery, and it can increase your health care costs too.
Five studies contained unilateral DIEP flap breast reconstruction cases only. Despite innumerable advances in technology and techniques, seromas remain a challenging problem for many plastic surgeons. A 2016 review of over 7000 patients across a wide variety of procedures demonstrated wildly different seroma rates despite numerous interventions. An example of the utilization of “external netting” is shown in this diagram. After the medial thighs are liposuctioned and the surgeon wants to increase the contraction of the skin and prevent fluid accumulation, external netting can be utilized.
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