Is Swelling Normal After Drain Removal Following Mastectomy?

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TE

Community Member

6 months ago

Hi! I had my drains and steri strips removed today following double mastectomy. Such a relief to have those drains out! But my question is this, is it normal that there is swelling along the surgical line already? It has been 6 hours or so. The swelling isn’t huge but the incision line had previously been so flat that it is scary to see it swell up a bit now.

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Accepted Answer

Some swelling after drain removal is quite common as your body adjusts to managing fluid without the drains, though it's completely understandable to feel concerned when noticing changes along your incision site. Many patients experience similar concerns after this milestone in their recovery, so reaching out to your surgical team about any new swelling can provide reassurance and help ensure everything is progressing as expected.

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NC

Community Member

6 months ago

Hi, Terri, I'm glad you got your drains removed! It might be due to the steri strip removal causing it to swell a bit. It should be mild and temporary.

1

CA

Community Member

2 months ago

Some swelling after drain removal is quite common as your body adjusts to managing fluid without the drains, though it's completely understandable to feel concerned when noticing changes along your incision site. Many patients experience similar concerns after this milestone in their recovery, so reaching out to your surgical team about any new swelling can provide reassurance and help ensure everything is progressing as expected.

Is Swelling Normal After Drain Removal Following Mastectomy?

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