You’ve just about had it with Gynecomastia and you want to bid your man boobs goodbye.
Are you considering surgery or have you already decided on it?
Gynecomastia surgery is essentially the surgical reduction of enlarged breasts in men. Fatty or breast tissues are removed either through liposuction, excision techniques, or both.
The objective of the surgery is to bring back the normal chest shape with hardly any trace of surgery.
One topic that is often debated and has caused worry for those opting for surgery is the necessity of drainage tubes.
For some men, drainage tubes are the biggest hang-ups to the surgery. Of course, there’s the concern with how they’ll be able to go to work with drainage tubes and collection tanks taped to the vest. Perhaps you’re worried about this, too.
But the question is: Are drains really necessary?
Some doctors use it every time.
If breast tissue has been removed, drainage tubes may be placed on each side of the chest to remove the fluid that accumulates after the surgery. This can either be blood or a yellowish-orange fluid.
Drains are put in place with a small incision and stitches, which the doctor will remove a few days to a week post-operation.
Some doctors regard these drainages as “safety valves”, which supposedly promote faster healing. With fluid still present, tissues are said to have a hard time healing.
Some doctors don’t agree with this, though. Some say that their patients don’t need it at all.
On fluid build-up, should there be any after surgery, some doctors believe that the body will naturally absorb it.
To be practical, drainage tubes can be a bother—not to mention cringe-worthy. This may lead to more discomfort, scarring, and potential infections.
One doctor shares that he performs around 150 of these surgeries yearly and that he rarely uses drainage tubes—perhaps in just about two to three cases. But this is his style, which tries to maximize comfort for the patient.
There was also a study done in the Istanbul Medipol University in Turkey where doctors wanted to examine the rate of complications in Gynecomastia surgery without drains.
Over a hundred male patients aged around 29 years old underwent gynecomastia surgery without it. They were analyzed to determine whether its absence affected recovery results.
The results of the study were comparable with a previously published study where drainage tubes were used. Given this, it was concluded that its absence does not affect the results and were deemed unnecessary.
At the end of the day, there isn’t really a right or wrong answer on whether drainage tubes are really necessary.
Some doctors may opt to use it while some just don’t. The decision is really based on the patient’s case, including the doctor’s background, training, and evaluation.
What matters most, especially to the patient, is the outcome.
With or without the drainage tubes, don’t let this be a deciding factor for your surgery as this is only a part of it.
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