How to treat gray postoperative suture

Any surgical intervention is a big test for the patient’s body. This is due to the fact that all his organs and systems experience increased stress, no matter whether the operation is small or large. It especially affects the skin, blood and lymphatic vessels, and if the operation is performed under anesthesia, then the heart. Sometimes, after everything seems to be over, a person is diagnosed with “seroma of the postoperative suture.” Most patients do not know what it is, so many are frightened by unfamiliar terms. In fact, seroma is not as dangerous as, for example, sepsis, although it also does not bring anything good with it. Let's look at how it happens, why it is dangerous and how it should be treated.

What is it - postoperative suture seroma?

We all know that many surgeons perform “miracles” in the operating room, literally bringing a person back from the other world. But, unfortunately, not all doctors conscientiously perform their actions during the operation. There are cases when they forget cotton swabs in the patient’s body and do not fully ensure sterility. As a result, in the operated person, the suture becomes inflamed, begins to fester or separate.

However, there are situations where problems with a stitch have nothing to do with medical negligence. That is, even if 100% sterility is observed during the operation, the patient suddenly accumulates liquid in the incision area that looks like ichor, or pus of a not very thick consistency. In such cases, they speak of seroma of the postoperative suture. What it is, in a nutshell, can be said this way: it is the formation of a cavity in the subcutaneous tissue in which serous effusion accumulates. Its consistency can vary from liquid to viscous, the color is usually straw-yellow, sometimes supplemented with blood streaks.

At-risk groups

Theoretically, seroma can occur after any violation of the integrity of lymph vessels, which do not “know how” to thrombose quickly, as blood vessels do. While they are healing, lymph continues to move through them for some time, flowing from the rupture sites into the resulting cavity. According to the ICD 10 classification system, seroma of the postoperative suture does not have a separate code. It is assigned depending on the type of operation performed and the reason that influenced the development of this complication. In practice, it most often occurs after such cardinal surgical interventions:

1. abdominal plastic surgery;
2. cesarean section (this postoperative suture seroma has ICD 10 code “O 86.0”, which means suppuration of the postoperative wound and/or infiltration in its area);
3. mastectomy.

As you can see, it is mainly women who are at risk, and those who have solid subcutaneous fat deposits. Why is that? Because these deposits, when their integral structure is damaged, tend to peel off from the muscle layer. As a result, subcutaneous cavities are formed, in which fluid begins to collect from the lymph vessels torn during the operation.

The following patients are also at risk:

1. those suffering from diabetes;
2. elderly people (especially overweight);
3. hypertensive patients.

Causes

To better understand what it is - postoperative suture seroma, you need to know why it forms. The main causes do not depend on the competence of the surgeon, but are a consequence of the body’s reaction to surgical intervention. These reasons are:

1. Fat deposits. This has already been mentioned, but we will add that in overly obese people whose body fat is 50 mm or more, seroma appears in almost 100% of cases. Therefore, doctors, if the patient has time, recommend liposuction before the main operation.
2. Large wound surface area. In such cases, too many lymph vessels are damaged, which, accordingly, release a lot of fluid and take longer to heal.

Increased tissue trauma

It was mentioned above that seroma of the postoperative suture depends little on the conscientiousness of the surgeon. But this complication directly depends on the skills of the surgeon and on the quality of his surgical instruments. The reason why seroma can occur is very simple: the work with the tissues was carried out too traumatically.

What does it mean? An experienced surgeon, when performing an operation, works with damaged tissues delicately, does not squeeze them unnecessarily with tweezers or clamps, does not grab them, does not twist them, and performs the incision quickly, in one precise movement. Of course, such jewelry work largely depends on the quality of the instrument. An inexperienced surgeon can create a so-called vinaigrette effect on the wound surface, which unnecessarily injures the tissue. In such cases, the ICD 10 code for seroma of the postoperative suture can be assigned as follows: “T 80”. This means “a complication of surgery not noted elsewhere in the classification system.”

Excessive electrocoagulation

This is another reason that causes suture gray after surgery and to some extent depends on the competence of the doctor. What is coagulation in medical practice? This is a surgical procedure performed not with a classic scalpel, but with a special coagulator that produces a high-frequency electric current. In essence, this is a targeted cauterization of blood vessels and/or cells by current. Coagulation is most often used in cosmetology. She has also proven herself excellent in surgery. But if it is performed by a physician without experience, he may incorrectly calculate the required amount of current or burn excess tissue. In this case, they undergo necrosis, and neighboring tissues become inflamed with the formation of exudate. In these cases, seroma of the postoperative suture is also assigned the code “T 80” in ICD 10, but in practice such complications are recorded very rarely.

Clinical manifestations of seroma of small sutures

If the surgical intervention was on a small area of ​​skin, and the suture turned out to be small (accordingly, the doctor’s traumatic manipulations affected a small volume of tissue), the seroma, as a rule, does not manifest itself in any way. In medical practice, there are cases where patients did not even suspect it, but such a formation was discovered during instrumental studies. Only in isolated cases does a small seroma cause minor pain.

How to treat it and is it necessary to do it? The decision is made by the attending physician. If he deems it necessary, he may prescribe anti-inflammatory and painkillers. Also, for faster wound healing, the doctor may prescribe a number of physiotherapeutic procedures.

Clinical manifestations of seroma of large sutures

If the surgical intervention affected a large volume of the patient’s tissue or the suture was too large (the wound surface is extensive), the occurrence of seroma in patients is accompanied by a number of unpleasant sensations:

1. redness of the skin in the suture area;
2. nagging pain that gets worse when standing;
3. during operations in the abdominal region, pain in the lower abdomen;
4. swelling, bulging of part of the abdomen;
5. temperature increase.

In addition, suppuration of both large and small seromas of the postoperative suture may occur. Treatment in such cases is very serious, including surgical intervention.

Diagnostics

We have already discussed why seroma of a postoperative suture can occur and what it is. Treatment methods for seroma, which we will consider below, largely depend on the stage of its development. In order not to start the process, this complication must be detected in time, which is especially important if it does not announce itself in any way. Diagnostics is carried out using the following methods:

Examination by the attending physician. After surgery, the doctor is required to examine his patient's wound daily. If undesirable skin reactions are detected (redness, swelling, suppuration of the suture), palpation is performed. If there is a seroma, the doctor should feel fluctuation (flow of liquid substrate) under the fingers.

Ultrasound. This analysis perfectly shows whether or not there is accumulation of liquid in the seam area.

In rare cases, a puncture is taken from the seroma to clarify the qualitative composition of the exudate and decide on further actions.

Conservative treatment

This type of therapy is most often practiced. In this case, patients are prescribed:

1. antibiotics (to prevent possible further suppuration);
2. anti-inflammatory medications (they relieve inflammation of the skin around the suture and reduce the amount of fluid released into the resulting subcutaneous cavity).

Nonsteroidal drugs such as Naproxen, Ketoprofen, and Meloxicam are more often prescribed.

In some cases, the doctor may prescribe steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Kenalog, Diprospan, which block inflammation as much as possible and accelerate healing.

Surgery

According to indications, including the size of the seroma and the nature of its manifestation, surgical treatment may be prescribed. It includes:

1. Punctures. In this case, the doctor removes the contents of the resulting cavity with a syringe. The positive aspects of such manipulations are as follows:

1. can be performed on an outpatient basis;
2. painlessness of the procedure.

The disadvantage is that the puncture will have to be done more than once, and not even twice, but up to 7 times. In some cases, it is necessary to perform up to 15 punctures before the tissue structure is restored.

2. Installation of drainage. This method is used for seromas that are too large in area. When drainage is placed, patients are simultaneously prescribed antibiotics.

Folk remedies

It is important to know that regardless of the reasons for the seroma of the postoperative suture, this complication is not treated with folk remedies.

But at home, you can perform a number of actions that promote healing of the suture and prevent suppuration. These include:

1. lubricating the seam with antiseptic agents that do not contain alcohol (“Fukorcin”, “Betadine”);
2. application of ointments (Levosin, Vulnuzan, Kontraktubeks and others);
3. inclusion of vitamins in the diet.

If suppuration appears in the suture area, you need to treat it with antiseptic and alcohol-containing agents, for example, iodine. In addition, in these cases, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

In order to speed up the healing of stitches, traditional medicine recommends making compresses with an alcohol tincture of larkspur. Only the roots of this herb are suitable for its preparation. They are washed well from the soil, crushed in a meat grinder, put in a jar and filled with vodka. The tincture is ready for use after 15 days. For a compress, you need to dilute it with water 1:1 so that the skin does not get burned.

There are many folk remedies for healing wounds and scars after surgery. Among them are sea buckthorn oil, rosehip oil, mumiyo, beeswax, melted with olive oil. These products should be applied to gauze and applied to the scar or seam.

Postoperative suture seroma after cesarean section

Complications in women whose obstetrics were performed by caesarean section are common. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is the mother’s body, weakened by pregnancy, which is unable to ensure rapid regeneration of damaged tissues. In addition to seroma, a ligature fistula or keloid scar may occur, and in the worst case scenario, suppuration of the suture or sepsis. Seroma in women giving birth after a cesarean section is characterized by the fact that a small dense ball with exudate (lymph) inside appears on the suture. The reason for this is damaged blood vessels at the site of the incision. As a rule, it does not cause concern. Seroma of postoperative suture after cesarean does not require treatment.

The only thing a woman can do at home is to treat the scar with rosehip or sea buckthorn oil to speed up its healing.

Complications

Postoperative suture seroma does not always go away on its own and not in everyone. In many cases, without a course of therapy, it can fester. This complication can be provoked by chronic diseases (for example, tonsillitis or sinusitis), in which pathogenic microorganisms penetrate through the lymph vessels into the cavity formed after surgery. And the liquid that collects there is an ideal substrate for their reproduction.

Another unpleasant consequence of seroma, which was not paid attention to, is that the subcutaneous fatty tissue does not fuse with the muscle tissue, that is, the cavity is constantly present. This leads to abnormal skin mobility and tissue deformation. In such cases, repeated surgery must be used.

Prevention

On the part of the medical staff, preventive measures consist of strict adherence to the surgical rules of the operation. Doctors try to perform electrocoagulation more gently and injure less tissue.

On the part of patients, preventive measures should be as follows:

1. Do not agree to surgery (unless there is an urgent need) until the thickness of the subcutaneous fat reaches 50 mm or more. This means that you first need to do liposuction, and after 3 months, surgery.
2. After surgery, wear high-quality compression stockings.
3. Avoid physical activity for at least 3 weeks after surgery.

Serous fluid is not the biggest postoperative problem, but some complications can still arise that cause discomfort to the person. Fluid accumulation occurs at the intersection of capillaries. That is, lymph accumulates within the cavity, which is located near the aponeurosis and fatty tissue under the human skin. That is why such complications most often occur in dense people with a large layer of fat under the skin.

During the development of a disease associated with serous fluid, straw-colored discharge, which do not have an unpleasant odor, but severe swelling may appear, and sometimes a person even feels pain at the site of seroma accumulation.

Most often, the accumulation of serous fluid occurs precisely after surgery. For example, we can distinguish plastic surgeries, after which fluid accumulates, which leads to negative consequences. These side effects do not affect human health in any way, but undesirable phenomena such as sagging skin in places where fluid accumulates may still appear, which of course spoils the aesthetic appearance of a person. In addition, seroma increases the healing time of the skin, and because of this you have to visit the doctor more often, which also causes inconvenience.

Causes of seroma

Over the entire period of operations, a variety of factors have been noted that can lead to the formation of seroma under the skin, but the main cause is lymphatic capillaries. In addition, another cause may be inflammatory processes that occur at the sites of injured tissue. The thing is that during the operation, doctors also touch foreign tissues, which begin to become inflamed and lead to the accumulation of seroma.

Also one of the main reasons consider such factors, How:

1. high blood pressure;
2. excess weight;
3. elderly age;
4. diabetes.

That is why doctors, before performing an operation, are obliged to check a person so that complications do not arise in the future. If doctors find out from tests that a person may have a seroma after surgery, then they will try to change the treatment concept to avoid such complications for the patient.

Patients should know before surgery whether seroma formation is possible or not. This liquid safe for humans, but still, in rare cases, its large accumulation under human skin leads to dangerous diseases. For example, complications may appear in the form of necrosis of the skin flap, sepsis, or the wound healing period after surgery may significantly increase.

Seroma formation after mastectomy and abdominoplasty

As mentioned earlier, seroma can occur after plastic surgery, but the most common are mastectomy and abdominoplasty. The formation of serous fluid occurs in almost 15% of all cases of mastectomy, and this means a fairly high chance of complications.

Naturally, breast surgery leads to the most common factor in the accumulation of serous fluid, namely the spread of lymph nodes and their number in this area of ​​the body. During breast surgery, a lot happens skin incision, which affects not only a large number of blood vessels, but also lymph nodes. As a result, already at the healing stage, due to the occurrence of an inflammatory reaction, serous fluid appears under the skin.

Before performing a mastectomy, doctors warn their patients about the possibility of seroma. When undergoing abdominoplasty, the chances of fluid accumulation under the skin increase even more, because here seroma appears in almost half of the cases of plastic surgery. In fact, the reason is identical, because when cutting the skin on the abdomen, doctors touch a large number of blood vessels and lymph nodes, which, of course, lead to further inflammatory processes.

Treatment of serous fluid accumulation

Typically serous fluid after surgery resolves on its own within 4–20 days, but still, even such a frivolous complication cannot be left without attention. It is important to consult a doctor who will be able to advise and provide treatment at a critical moment. There are several techniques that allow you to remove serous fluid in the early stages or in case of a critical situation.

Vacuum aspiration

Vacuum aspiration is one of the most common methods for treating serous fluid. This technique, unfortunately, can only be carried out in the early stages of a complication. The essence of vacuum aspiration is to use a special apparatus, to which a tube is connected and lowered to the very bottom where serous fluid has formed. Using vacuum, the fluid is drawn out of the wound.

When using this method of treatment, the old postoperative wound is not opened. In addition, pumping out serous fluid helps the skin heal faster after surgery, so many clients use vacuum aspiration just to quickly return to their normal lives.

Using drainage for seroma

Drainage is used quite often in the case of treatment for the accumulation of serous fluid. This method can be used at any stage of seroma occurrence, in contrast to vacuum aspiration. Wound secretions are pumped out using a special device, but it is important to consider the sterility of the device. That is why drains can only be used once, after which they are sent for recycling. Such drains are stored in special antiseptic solutions, and before starting work, all equipment treated with 0.9% sodium chloride solution.

Special devices that facilitate treatment when serous fluid occurs can be inserted through the sutures left after surgery. In addition, the device can also be removed through a small puncture, which is made near the postoperative sutures. The devices are also fixed using sutures. Doctors are required to wipe the damaged areas and nearby skin every day with a 1% solution of brilliant green. It is also necessary to constantly change the bandage.

When using a drainage tube to pump out serous fluid, you can use rubber or glass hoses for lengthening. It goes without saying that even additional materials for extension must be sterile, and the vessels must be filled 1/4 full with any antiseptic solution. All this must be done in order to minimize the risk of infection through stitches or wounds. Therefore, the tubes are also replaced daily.

The serous fluid is slightly viscous, so patients are placed on their backs on a special bed so that they can, in some cases, care for the drainage tube themselves. In any case, doctors conduct constant monitoring of the patient.

The serous fluid may be quite viscous, but in this case drainage with an electric pump is used.

Prevention of seroma

It goes without saying that it is better not to treat seroma, but to first carry out preventive actions that help avoid its occurrence. Highlight several preventative techniques.

1. The wounds are carefully sutured so that there are no pockets through which infection can enter and lead to inflammatory processes.
2. After the surgical procedure, you need to place a small weight on the wound. For such purposes, ordinary sandbags are most often used.
3. Many doctors recommend using accordion drainage.
4. During plastic surgery, various surgical measures are carried out in order to increase the immunity of the damaged area to infection.
5. It is recommended to continuously use antiseptics or antibiotics during treatment. Typically, antibiotics are used immediately after surgery, and then the doctor prescribes them as needed.

Conclusion

The occurrence of postoperative seroma is not taken into account by many, but this can ultimately lead not only to discomfort, but also to serious illnesses or simply deformation of the skin. The removal of serous fluid is quick and painless, so this should not be put off for a long time. It is easiest to prevent the occurrence of seroma in the early stages of formation than to carry out a second operation later.

One of the forms of complication of the wound surface healing process that occurs in the postoperative period is suture seroma. Most often it occurs in people with lipid metabolism disorders in the body, or suffering from diseases that prevent the normal regeneration of skin cells.

If treatment for seroma is started in a timely manner, then this complication does not pose a significant threat. Advanced forms of pathology can cause acute inflammation.

What is seroma

Seroma is a violation of the natural healing of the epithelial surface and soft tissues in the area where surgical procedures were performed. In the subcutaneous space between the fat layer and the epithelium, a straw-colored liquid begins to form, which does not have a pronounced or other specific odor.

The main localization of seroma accumulation is the intersection of the smallest capillary vessels.

The basis of the serous fluid is lymph, which begins to collect due to the prolonged absence of the wound healing process, or cell division occurs too slowly.

In 85% of cases, seroma is not an independent disease, but acts as a symptom that signals the presence of concomitant pathology that disrupts the normal recovery of the body after surgery. The appearance of lymphatic accumulations at the site of a surgical scar is a reason for a more detailed examination of the body.

Causes of seroma formation

Seroma of a postoperative suture is a pathological condition of the subcutaneous surface and circumference of soft tissues that does not occur independently without the negative influence of one or several factors at once. In the vast majority of clinical cases, the appearance of an excess amount of serous fluid in the area of ​​the postoperative scar occurs for various reasons.

They are as follows:

1. excessive activity of the lymphatic system, which reacted too sharply to mechanical damage to the skin, causing a local inflammatory process with an abnormally large release of lymph;
2. the presence of elevated blood sugar levels, which is caused by concomitant diabetes or impaired body tolerance to glucose molecules;
3. excess body weight, characterized by a thick layer of fat in the area of ​​the body in which surgery took place;
4. reaching 75 years of age or older (patients in this age category do not tolerate surgery well, and postoperative rehabilitation is even worse, since due to physiological changes, cells are no longer capable of rapid division);
5. hypertension, when due to an increased level of blood pressure, an uneven redistribution of lymphatic fluid throughout the body occurs and it begins to accumulate in the area of ​​damaged tissue.

Depending on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body, hereditary factors, lifestyle, quality of nutrition, the presence or absence of bad habits, there may be the influence of other reasons that can also slow down the healing process of the surgical suture and serve as a prerequisite for the formation of seroma.

Symptoms

Suture seroma, which appears during postoperative recovery of the body, is always a local inflammatory process, characterized by the occurrence of concomitant signs of the disease.

They are:

1. an increase in body temperature, which reaches 37-39 degrees and directly depends on the level of the human immune system, the presence of infectious agents, and the extent of inflammation;
2. a feeling of aching pain that may not stop for several hours, subside for a while, and then resume again;
3. swelling of the soft tissues and epithelial surface located around the postoperative suture, which is the first sign of abundant accumulation of seroma between the lipid and dermal layers;
4. burning pain syndrome that occurs when the surgical area is inclined and there is an influx of additional blood and lymph;
5. redness of the skin around the postoperative suture, the color of which depends on the severity of the inflammatory process and can vary from pale pink to deep purple and bluish.

The main symptom of the formation of a seroma can be considered the release of lymphatic fluid, which protrudes directly between the edges of a wound that has not yet healed.

If the complication occurs without worsening the clinical picture, then upon examination a yellowish-tinged liquid without a foul odor is observed, and its appearance always indicates the addition of a fungal or bacterial infection.

Diagnostics

Postoperative suture seroma is a disruption of the natural wound healing process, the appearance of which requires not only local treatment, but also a comprehensive diagnosis of internal organs and systems in order to eliminate the cause that impedes normal recovery.

To do this, the patient is prescribed the following diagnostic procedures:

1. collection of serous fluid to exclude infection;
2. donation of capillary blood from a finger for clinical analysis of glucose levels, as well as the percentage of platelets, erythrocytes, phagocytes, lymphocytes;
3. venous blood for its biochemical diagnosis for cancer cells, strains of pathogenic microorganisms (tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV);
4. swab from the surface of the seam.

In case of urgent need and suspicion of an inflammatory process occurring in the soft tissues of the surgical site, ultrasound diagnostics can be used. Based on the results of the examination, a decision is made on the formation of a course of therapy.

Possible complications

By its nature of origin, the accumulation of serous fluid under the skin surface of the postoperative suture is already a complication of the normal wound healing process.

If no therapeutic measures are taken, the following pathologies may develop:

1. formation of deep scars and keloids;
2. penetration of a bacterial infection into the gray;
3. rotting of the postoperative suture;
4. extensive inflammation spreading to the surrounding tissues, and in some cases even internal organs;
5. the appearance of fistulous holes, from which purulent contents are periodically released.

The most severe complication of seroma of the postoperative suture is blood poisoning, which leads to the onset of septic shock and ends in death. This scenario is possible in advanced forms of the disease.

Postoperative suture seroma after cesarean section

After the birth of a child through surgery, the appearance of signs of accumulation of serous fluid cannot be ruled out due to the large size of the suture and the extensiveness of the wound surface.

In this case, the mechanism and features of the development of pathology are as follows:

1. immediately after the completion of labor, the abdomen still retains large volumes, so the edges of the wound do not fit tightly;
2. on this basis, a sluggish inflammatory process occurs;
3. the woman’s body is in a weakened state, which affects the protective function of the immune system, which cannot fully ensure rapid healing of the suture;
4. swelling and inflammation of the surrounding tissues continues to increase, which ultimately leads to the accumulation of serous fluid, the volume of which directly depends on the severity of the current pathology.

Experienced surgeons, obstetricians and gynecologists promptly introduce corrective actions into the therapeutic process to avoid the development of postoperative complications of cesarean section.

Seroma formation after mastectomy and abdominoplasty

At least 15% of clinical cases of abdominoplasty and mastectomy result in the formation of serous contents. The peculiarities of the formation of seroma after operations of this type are associated with the fact that the mammary gland in women mainly consists of adipose tissue and lymph nodes.

The mastectomy procedure itself and plastic surgery involve large incisions, as a result of which elements of the lymphatic system are damaged.

In this case, the accumulation of serous fluid is a protective reaction of the body.

The mechanism of seroma formation is similar; it occurs due to the direction of additional fluid volume by the lymphatic system. As anti-inflammatory and other therapeutic measures are carried out, the swelling subsides, and the excess amount of serous fluid is removed outside the body.

For breast fibroadenoma

If there is a benign neoplasm of this type in the breast tissue, a completely different type of mechanism for the appearance of seroma develops.

If surgery has not been performed to remove the tumor, then the formation of serous fluid is the body's immune reaction to a foreign object inside the mammary gland, which can acquire a malignant etiology and must be urgently removed.

In the case of an operation to excise fibroadenoma, seroma of the postoperative suture is expressed in the form of edema, which subsides in the first 5 days from the moment of surgery (if there are no complications).

Drug therapy

Treatment with drugs is effective at the initial stage of development of the disease, if there are no signs of extensive swelling and the risk of the inflammatory process spreading to surrounding tissues and organs.

It is recommended to use the following medications:

1. Erythromycin - broad-spectrum antibiotic. Take 1-2 tablets 3 times a day.
2. Naproxen - a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gel based on sodium salts, which is applied to the circumference of the suture 2-3 times a day.
3. Meloxicam - intramuscular injections that have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-edematous effects. The optimal dosage is 1-2 injections per day, 5 ml each.
4. Kenalog - corticosteroid for systemic therapy. Has strong anti-inflammatory properties. It is injected into the body intramuscularly 1-3 times throughout the day.
5. Ketoprofen - medicinal ointment based on the active substance carbomer. Apply 2-3 times a day to the postoperative suture and skin surface in the area of ​​edema.

The duration of treatment varies from 5 to 20 days. It is important to remember that the type of antibacterial drug is selected individually depending on the strain of infectious microorganisms detected based on the examination results.

Alternative medicine

Postoperative suture seroma is a complication that requires drug therapy, but there are still alternative medicine recipes that are still used at home.

The most effective methods of traditional treatment:

1. Aloe compress:

1. you need to take 3 leaves of this plant and wash them;
2. pass through a meat grinder or food processor, squeeze out the juice, and place the resulting pulp on a gauze cloth;
3. apply to the seroma site daily for 2 hours as a compress, each time preparing a fresh portion of homemade medicine;
4. the resulting juice is taken 3 times a day, 1 tsp. in 10 minutes before the meal);

2. Bran and honey cake:

1. prepared using the specified components in equal proportions, when honey is mixed with bran until a viscous mass is formed;
2. applied to the surgical suture, or to skin that has signs of inflammation and swelling;

3. Cabbage leaf:

1. has anti-inflammatory and drainage properties;
2. It is enough to separate it from the head of the vegetable, rinse it, warm it in a warm room and fix it on the diseased area of ​​the body.

Traditional medicine does not approve of folk remedies, especially when there is an accumulation of serous fluid in the area of ​​the wound surface, which is just beginning to recover after surgery.

Vacuum aspiration

This method of therapy is used in the early stages of accumulation of serous fluid, when there are still no signs of the inflammatory process.

The technology of vacuum aspiration consists of the following actions on the part of physicians:

1. the patient receives local anesthesia;
2. the surgeon makes a small incision on the skin surface in the area of ​​seroma accumulation;
3. a tube of an aspiration device is inserted into the wound cavity, which performs forced pumping of liquid by creating a vacuum;
4. As soon as the color of what is being removed changes from golden to ichorous, the procedure stops, the doctor removes the device and applies sterile suture material to the incision.

Vacuum aspiration itself lasts no longer than 20-30 minutes. Due to local anesthesia, the patient does not feel any pain or other unpleasant symptoms. After seroma removal using this method, the healing of the postoperative suture proceeds 2-3 times faster than usual.

Using the drainage system

Treatment of seroma by installing drainage is advisable for use in case of repeated accumulation of serous fluid after its initial removal.

The principle of this type of treatment is as follows:

1. the patient receives local anesthesia;
2. the surgeon pierces the area of ​​the inflammatory process where the seroma is localized;
3. a drainage system is introduced into the wound cavity, which is fixed with a medical plaster;
4. the final edge of the drainage is attached to the receiver container, where the accumulated serous fluid is discharged around the clock.

The main disadvantage of the drainage system is the high risk of infection of the wound surface, since the system is replaced once every 2-3 days, during which pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate into the soft tissues and provoke even more extensive inflammation of the postoperative suture.

Surgical method

This method of therapy is used in extreme cases, as a repeat operation, but this time aimed at preventing the development of severe complications. The peculiarities of its implementation are that the doctor opens the inflamed and swollen surface of the skin and, using surgical instruments, cleans the wound.

Along with excess fluid, tissues that have been damaged as a result of prolonged accumulation of lymph are removed.

Seroma of the suture that occurs during the postoperative period is a form of complication that can be successfully treated in the early stages of its development with the help of ointments and tablets selected by the doctor individually.

Installation of a drainage system, aspiration and surgical sanitation of seroma in 80% of cases are used to treat patients with a severely weakened immune system, or with advanced forms of the disease.

Article format: Lozinsky Oleg

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