Having a drain may sound scary or intimidating, but the device can actually speed healing and help prevent complications. A drain can also reduce pain after surgery. A surgical drain is placed to keep fluid or infectious material from building up at the site of your surgery. The drain does exactly what it sounds like: it drains fluid away and out of the body, just like a plumbing drain. A drain can be placed during surgery or as an outpatient procedure. Outside of surgery, drains are often placed in interventional radiology, and the healthcare provider placing the drain uses an X-ray machine or another type of scan to make sure the drain is in the appropriate place.
There are many types of drains, ranging from chest tubes that keep fluid from accumulating around the heart after open-heart surgery to small bulb-type drains that apply gentle suction.
The type of drain that is used depends on the type of surgery, the preference of the surgeon, and the site of the surgery. There may be one drain or several, depending on the nature of the problem. For the most part, drains are not painful to have in place, but they can cause discomfort depending on the size and location.
Typically, the pain is mild, but the larger the drain, the greater the likelihood that it will cause pain. After heart bypass surgery, many people report that chest tubes are more uncomfortable than the chest incision. If pain occurs, use Tylenol acetaminophen rather than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, Advil ibuprofen , or Aleve naproxen which can promote bleeding. If you are sent home with a drain, be sure to protect it, making sure it doesn't dangle freely or in such a way that it could be accidentally removed.
Some drains can be accidentally removed when they have too much weight pulling on them, such as the collection device used to hold drainage. Some people use bandage tape that can be purchased at the drug store to keep the drain near their incision and prevent it from accidentally being removed.
If you do this, be careful when removing the tape so that you do not accidentally remove the drain. Caring for the drain is very much like performing good incision care. Wash your hands before touching your incision or the drain. Cleanse the area around the drain gently in the shower with mild soap and rinse well. Avoid bathing in a tub when you have an incision that has not completely healed or a drain in place unless your surgeon says it is safe to do so.
Take the time to inspect the area around the drain for signs of infection , just as you would a normal surgical incision. It is important to pay attention to the type and amount of drainage that is coming out, it may be bloody, a clear serous fluid, or it may be colored drainage that indicates infection. When the bulb is compressed squeezed with the stopper in place, a constant gentle suction is created.
Some people drain a lot, some only a little. The Jackson-Pratt drain is usually removed when the drainage is 30 mL or less over 24 hours. Milk your tubing before you open the stopper to empty and measure your drainage. You should also do this if you see fluid leaking around the insertion site. Follow these instructions when emptying your Jackson-Pratt drain.
Once you empty your drainage, clean your hands again and check the area around your insertion site for:. You may have an infection. Keep your insertion site clean and dry by washing it with soap and water and then gently patting it dry.
Even after you start caring for it yourself, you can always ask for help. If you have any problems, call your healthcare provider. This will help prevent infection and promote healing of your skin. Caring for your skin after your drain is removed will be different if you had reconstructive surgery. Call your healthcare provider during business hours Monday to Friday between am and pm if:. However, the bulb should also be emptied when it appears half full or halfway expanded.
Persistent fever over degrees Increased redness around the tubing The bulb does not stay compressed There is a foul odor The fluid is yellow or green and cloudy There is severe pain at the incision site.
There is swelling at the incision site. There is a great deal of drainage around the drain insertion site. The tubing is dislodged or comes out. Put a new bandage around the drain tube site. Use surgical tape to hold it down against your skin. Throw all used supplies in the trash bag. Wash your hands again. If you notice this: Wash your hands with soap and water.
Gently squeeze the tubing where the clot is, to loosen it. Grip the drain with the fingers of one hand, close to where it comes out of your body.
With the fingers of your other hand, squeeze down the length of the tube. Start where it comes out of your body and move toward the drainage bulb. This is called "stripping" the drain. Release your fingers from the end of the drain where it comes out of your body and then release the end near the bulb. You might find it easier to strip the drain if you put lotion or hand cleanser on your hands. Do this several times until fluid is draining into the bulb.
When to Call the Doctor. Call your doctor if: Stitches that hold the drain to your skin are coming loose or are missing. The tube falls out. Your temperature is Your skin is very red where the tube comes out a small amount of redness is normal.
There is drainage from the skin around the tube site. There is more tenderness and swelling at the drain site. The drainage is cloudy or has a bad odor.
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