Seroma After Plastic Surgery

Choose the topic:

• What is seroma?
• Why and when seroma occurs?
• Seroma after abdominoplasty, mastectomy
• Solution

What is seroma?

Seroma is an abnormal accumulation of serous fluid which sometimes develops after a surgery. It is especially common after large dissections, such as mastectomy or breast augmentationabdominoplasties and body or face lifts. Usually, seroma resolves itself within a few weeks. However, fluid accumulation stretches the skin and causes it to sag, this causes discomfort and anxiety together with prolonged recovery, longer hospital stay, more frequent office visits and over-stretched health budget. Different factors influence the formation of seroma but their role in pathogenesis varies in each patient. To prevent and manage seroma formation, it is very important to understand how it emerges.

Why and when seroma occurs?

The pathophysiology of seroma formation is not fully understood but lymph vessel spillage is supposedly the main cause of accumulation of the lymphatic fluid. However, it is also thought that seroma is more than a mere accumulation of serum. It is probably formed by an acute inflammatory exudation. During the operation, the surrounding tissues, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels are traumatized. As a reaction to trauma, inflammation emerges in the surgical site. In other words, the body floods with lymph causing pain and swelling that occur after a surgery. Sometimes, because ducts get traumatized, the lymph, instead of naturally draining away, accumulates, and this leads to the formation of seroma.

Patients should be aware of the possibility of seroma formation. They are usually encouraged to monitor the surgical site for abnormalities and complications. Although seroma is not very dangerous, it can lead to serious complications such as skin flap necrosis, delayed wound healing, infection, predisposes to sepsis and lymphedema. Seroma formation may also be affected by factors such as age, weight, diabetes and hypertension.

Seroma after abdominoplasty and mastectomy
The solution

A large number of surgical methods and techniques have been performed to reduce seroma formation. Small seromas, often unnoticeable, resolve on their own, although left untreated, they can calcify forming solid knots. Larger seromas often require repeat needle aspiration, whereas intractable seromas may require drain replacement. Seromas that become infected may require antibiotic therapy and, on rare occasions, surgery. However, prevention seems to be the best treatment of seroma and drainage is one of the most accepted and universal methods of prevention. Short use of the drainage system reduces or even prevents seroma incidence compared to no drainage at all. Compression dressing to prevent seroma rate is also in use and it is a common method used by some surgeons.