Without a drain, the fluid might gather up in a large pool and be painful. The pressure of the fluid inside might stop the wound healing properly. So the surgical drain allows extra fluid to drain off harmlessly.
If fluids are given a chance to build up, complications and/or infection can set in and healing can be delayed. Excess fluid in a post-surgical site can also cause pain and swelling.
Removing drains too soon may result in fluid buildup, seroma, and the need for fluid aspiration and/or a second surgery. Generally speaking, most patients who require tummy tuck drains are able to have them removed after about 1 – 3 weeks.
In the days and weeks after surgery your body needs time to repair the incision. During this time, the incision will likely become inflamed and there may be some drainage. A mild amount of drainage from the incision is normal.
After a surgery, fluid may collect inside your body in the surgical area. This makes an infection or other problems more likely. A surgical drain allows the fluid to flow out. The doctor puts a thin, flexible rubber tube into the area of your body where the fluid is likely to collect.
Why do patients PREFER not to have drains? Drain-free cosmetic surgery techniques AVOID unnecessary drain-tube incision(s) and related healing risks. This can help reduce complications linked with drain use.
Standard surgical procedures that require a drain: Chest pleural drainage. Chest surgery. Lymph node clearance procedure for malignancy.
A seroma can still occur up to 1 month after surgery and the removal of the drains. Though seromas are a common complication of surgery, there are some things that can be done to help prevent them from forming. Closed suction drainage for several days is one of the main options to help reduce seroma formation.
Empty the reservoir at least two times a day, even if it's not full. You may need to empty it more than twice if it gets full. Change the dressing around the wound at least once a day, or more often if it becomes soaked or dirty. “Milk” the tubing every four hours while you are awake.
Good incision care can help ensure that it heals well and infection doesn't develop. In most cases, a surgical incision heals in about two weeks.
– Is drain removal painful? Patients may experience a pulling or pressure sensation, however there is generally no pain experienced during drain removal. Drain removal takes only a few seconds. The stitch securing the drain in place is first removed followed by gentle removal of the drainage tube.
Also note: Drains are routinely not left in longer than 2 weeks but if you have questions about your specific case, call your surgeon.
To remove the drain, remove any visible tape that may be securing the tubing to your skin or dressing. Gently pull the plastic tubing out. There may be slight discomfort but the tube should pull out easily. You should leave the rest of the bandage intact unless the physician has instructed you otherwise.
You may shower after you have had the drain in place for 48 hours, after you have removed your outer surgical dressing (if you have one), or if you do not have an outer dressing. – To keep your drain in place in the shower, attach it to a lanyard or shoelace looped loosely around your neck.
The drained fluid is collected into a dressing, bag, or container. You should see the drainage decrease after you go home, and you may see it change color. You should be shown how to empty the drain before you are discharged, and you should ask if you need to measure the drainage.
Serous drainage is composed mainly of plasma. It is often thin and watery and will usually have a clear to yellowish or brownish appearance. Small amounts of serous drainage are normal during the first stages of healing.
Take a shower once a day. The incision is held together with clips, sutures, steri-strips or dermabond. The JP drain tube is held by a suture to your skin. While showering, secure the bulb to keep it from pulling on the skin or becoming dislodged.
Symptoms include swelling of body parts such as feet, hands and ankles, a feeling of stiffness or aching and weight fluctuations. Drinking plenty of water will actually help your kidneys to flush out excess fluid. Fluid retention may be a sign of disease.
Answer: Seroma
There is no direct link between exercise and seroma resolution.
It is normal to experience the drainage of fluid from a wound at an incision site after surgery. The drainage, which tends to be thin and slightly pink in color, may last for a few days or longer depending on how deep or extensive the wound is.
Answer: Not necessary to stitch close drain incisions
It isn't necessary to stitch close the incisions where the drains are inserted because they are very small and heal well on their own.
Yes, a registered nurse ( especially under the employment/guidance of your plastic surgeon) can remove drains.
The main indications for drain use include the need to eliminate dead space, remove existing fluid or gas, and prevent accumulation of fluid or gas.
Using standard aseptic technique, clean around the site and remove any sutures. Pinching the edges of the skin together, rotate tubing from side to side gently to loosen, then remove the drain using a smooth, but fast, continuous traction.
It isn't possible to pull the edges of the skin together to make them meet, so the wound is left to fill in on its own. This process of wound filling is called granulation, and the amount of granulation that has to take place in a wider, more open wound is greatly increased.