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Discharge After Tummy Tuck an Infection?
There can be some drainage associated with abdominoplasty in the immediate recovery. Most plastic surgeons use drains for a portion of the immediate post-op period to control some of this fluid and remove it from the space created during an abdominoplasty. If there is no redness, warmth and if you're not having fevers these argue against infection but you should ALWAYS see your plastic surgeon with issues like this. An in person evaluation by your treating surgeon is the only way to insure you're getting appropriate care.
Clinical Context
After a tummy tuck, drainage is normal for the first couple of weeks. It usually starts thin and blood-tinged, then gradually becomes lighter and less watery as healing progresses. Surgeons often use drains temporarily to help manage this fluid. A change to thick, cloudy, or foul-smelling drainage — especially with increasing pain, redness, or fever — is different from typical healing and should prompt a call to your surgeon's office rather than waiting it out.
