Drainless Tummy Tuck
“Drainless” isn’t exactly the most glamorous word.
When we think of cosmetic surgery, it’s tempting to imagine a scalpel, sunshine and rainbows, and voila: we’ve got a six pack.
Tummy tucks, though, are extensive procedures.
It’s worth examining the value of a traditional vs. a drainless tummy tuck.
What the Heck Is a Drain?
Lots of procedures use drains. Essentially, the drains are there to prevent seroma: the buildup of bodily fluids. Specifically, serous fluids, benign fluids that fill up body cavities.
These fluids drain out into a collection bulb the patient typically pins to their clothing.
Sounds reasonable, but what are the disadvantages?
Drains Are Sort of Inconvenient
Showering’s basically impossible when you use drains. If you do go with drains, hopefully you enjoy taking sponge baths.
Think about it. You’re carrying the bulbs around with you, pinning them to your belt or to your underwear. Therefore, it can be just a bit inconvenient to move around.
A drain is constantly sucking against the muscles and other soft tissues inside you. To say the least, this can be a bit painful.
Finally, drains have to be kept up as well. They must be emptied three times a day, and the collection amounts must be meticulously recorded.
There is a lot of room to make an error, especially from untrained patients.
Drain or No Drain?
If you’re a candidate for a drainless tummy tuck, it’s well worth considering. Drainless is going to intrinsically be less painful, and patients will be on their feet faster. And let’s not underestimate the value of being able to take a shower faster than two weeks out.
A drainless tummy tuck takes a bit more effort from the surgeon in the operating room, and means a slightly longer surgery.
But consider the time saved by not having to deal with drain maintenance yourself. You may need to be aspirated for seroma, but this can happen even if you do get drains.
Are you a good candidate for a drainless tummy tuck? Consult with Dr. Navin Singh with a complimentary consultation at Washingtonian Plastic Surgery.
