After a cut, tissue produces an inflammatory fluid as a response to the pain suffered. Usually the lymphatic system spontaneously reabsorbs the fluid, but if it is produced in excessive quantity and accumulates, a seroma is generated.
This accumulation of fluid is more common after surgeries in which there was cutting and manipulation of the skin and fatty tissue, as in breast surgeries.
It usually appears 7 - 10 days after the operation, and appears as an area of skin near the scar that fluctuates to the touch. It may be accompanied by pain and redness of the breast, as well as an increase in size.
If the seromas are small, they can be naturally reabsorbed by the skin, resolving in less than a month. However, there are cases where a specific treatment must be performed:
- Local physical measures: rest of the area and use of a sports bra that fits well to the breast.
- Medical treatment: treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs is advised until reabsorption. Antibiotic treatment may also be required if infection is suspected.
- Evacuation: it may be necessary to evacuate the contents of the seroma by puncture and aspiration or by reoperation.
- Aitken DR, Minton JP. Complications associated with mastectomy. Surg Clin North Am. 1983 Dec;63(6):1331-52.
- Vitug AF, Newman LA. Complications in breast surgery. Surg Clin North Am. 2007 Apr;87(2):431-51, x.
- García, A. S. (2001). Complicaciones de la cirugía de la mama. Cirugía Española, 69(3), 224-230.
