Standard surgical procedures that require a drain: Chest pleural drainage. Chest surgery. Lymph node clearance procedure for malignancy.
Surgical drains are implants that allow removal of fluid and/or gas from a wound or body cavity. This broad definition includes nasogastric tubes, urinary catheters, vascular access ports, and ventriculoperitoneal shunts.
Drains remove and collect blood, pus or other excess fluids that can collect inside your chest after Top Surgery. 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.
Surgical drains are tubes placed near surgical incisions in the post-operative patient, to remove pus, blood or other fluid, preventing it from accumulating in the body.
Surgical drains were once routinely used regardless of actually being warranted. 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.
The drains typically stay in place until they are draining less than 30ml's of fluid per day. Face lift and neck lift drains usually come out within 1-3 days, as well as breast reduction drains. Tummy tuck drains typically stay in the longest, and may be left in place for 1-2 weeks.
The most common type of surgical drain carries the fluid into a collection bulb that you empty. This is called a Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain. The drain uses suction created by the bulb to pull the fluid from your body into the bulb. The rubber tube will probably be held in place by one or two stitches in your skin.
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.
Having a drain removed usually does not hurt, but it can feel rather odd as the tubing slides out of the body. The incision is then covered with a dressing or left open to the air. Stitches usually are not needed.
The drain may also be a source of contamination if it becomes clotted, becomes clogged, or becomes a conduit allowing opposite flow within it, thus increasing the possibility of surgical site infection.
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.
These drains help prevent fluid from collecting in the chest or breast. Please record the amount of fluid coming out of the drains. Your drains will usually be removed at your first appointment after surgery.
Sleep on the side opposite of the drain. This will help you to avoid blocking the tubing or pulling it out of the suction bulb. Ask your doctor about when it is safe to shower, bathe, or soak in water.
A Jackson Pratt drain is used to help empty excess fluid from the body after surgery. Use of a drain can help in the healing process.
Do not let your pain become greater than 6 on a 0-10 scale. Take your pain medication if the pain is 4 or higher. Do not drive until the JP drains have been removed. Do not lift, carry, push, pull or move anything that weighs more than 10 pounds or bend over to reach your knees, feet or the floor.
JP drains are often placed in wounds during surgery to prevent the collection of fluid underneath the incision site. This is a closed, air-tight drainage system which operates by self-suction. The drain(s) promote healing by keeping excess pressure off the incision and decreasing the risk of infection.
The first couple of days after surgery, the fluid may be a dark red color. This is normal. As you continue to heal, it may look pink or pale yellow.
The color of the fluid usually begins as cranberry (blood tinged) and as the days after surgery go by, the color becomes pink or yellow. The more active you are, the more fluid will be produced. Sometimes increased activity can cause the color of the fluid to become cranberry after it has been yellow.
Purulent drainage is a sign of infection. It's a white, yellow, or brown fluid and might be slightly thick in texture. It's made up of white blood cells trying to fight the infection, plus the residue from any bacteria pushed out of the wound.
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.
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. More complex surgical incisions will take longer to heal. If you have other medical conditions or are taking certain medications, your healing time may differ.
Types of surgical drain
Open drains (including corrugated rubber or plastic sheets) drain fluid on to a gauze pad or into a stoma bag. They are likely to increase the risk of infection. Closed drains are formed by tubes draining into a bag or bottle. Examples include chest, abdominal and orthopaedic drains.
Open the plug on the reservoir without touching the inside of the plug. Gently squeeze the reservoir to empty the fluid into the measuring cup. Re-create the vacuum inside the reservoir by squeezing it flat and then replacing the plug. Observe the amount of fluid and its color so you can write it down later.
Serous drainage
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. Continuous serous drainage may be a sign that there are high levels of bacteria living on the surface of the wound.