What You Need To Know About Surgical Drain Care
Surgical recovery can be complicated and there may be a lot of steps that you need to remember. You may have specific medication that you need to take or steps that need to be performed in order to help you get healthy as quickly as possible. Surgical drain care is not terribly complicated but it does involve a few steps.
You may have had surgery in the past and not had a drain installed. Not every surgery results in the use of one of these devices. There are procedures, however, that have a better recovery rate if a drain is installed. If you have surgery where a cavity will remain (as in an area where a lump or other piece of tissue was removed), you can end up having fluid or air build up. This makes it impossible for the body to heal properly. Drains allow your body to get rid of these substances and heal properly.
Infection can be a serious problem especially when a surgical wound becomes infected. Some individuals have even died as a result of bacterial infections in their surgical wounds. You want to make sure you are going to heal as quickly as possible and it will be easier to do so if you maintain your drain properly and practice good wound care.
Some of the instructions your doctor may give you will center on the fluid coming out of your device. They will want to know how much fluid is coming out, how thick it is and what color it is. They may also tell you how to open and close your bulb and drain the fluid properly or handle any kinks or bends in the tube or bulb.
Drains all tend to be made up of similar parts. They may vary a bit but they all involve a plastic tube of some sort that has a bulb attached to the end. Liquid will travel out of the wound and collect in the bulb. The bulb usually has a section on it that can be opened or removed so that the fluid can be poured out. Because the plastic used to make the device is very soft, it can become twisted or kinked.
Before you do anything, you want to make sure that your hands are clean. This will keep you from accidentally introducing bacteria into your drain or your incision. Also, if there are any tools that you have been given they should also be cleaned thoroughly. You may get a cup to measure your discharge and again, this needs to be washed properly.
You need to remember that more fluid will drain out at the beginning of your recovery than it will when it has been healing for a bit. At a minimum, checking it four times a day (about every six hours) will make sure that you get rid of the fluid before the bulb becomes too full. You should get instructions on how to empty the bulb. You just need to ensure that you clean everything before shutting up your device again.
Keep an eye on the incision as well. Make sure that it is not looking red and inflamed or that there is no discharge coming from the wound instead of the drain. Also make sure that the tube is not kinked or bent. If there are any problems, make sure you call your doctor and be prepared to have them check the area for infections.
You may have had surgery in the past and not had a drain installed. Not every surgery results in the use of one of these devices. There are procedures, however, that have a better recovery rate if a drain is installed. If you have surgery where a cavity will remain (as in an area where a lump or other piece of tissue was removed), you can end up having fluid or air build up. This makes it impossible for the body to heal properly. Drains allow your body to get rid of these substances and heal properly.
Infection can be a serious problem especially when a surgical wound becomes infected. Some individuals have even died as a result of bacterial infections in their surgical wounds. You want to make sure you are going to heal as quickly as possible and it will be easier to do so if you maintain your drain properly and practice good wound care.
Some of the instructions your doctor may give you will center on the fluid coming out of your device. They will want to know how much fluid is coming out, how thick it is and what color it is. They may also tell you how to open and close your bulb and drain the fluid properly or handle any kinks or bends in the tube or bulb.
Drains all tend to be made up of similar parts. They may vary a bit but they all involve a plastic tube of some sort that has a bulb attached to the end. Liquid will travel out of the wound and collect in the bulb. The bulb usually has a section on it that can be opened or removed so that the fluid can be poured out. Because the plastic used to make the device is very soft, it can become twisted or kinked.
Before you do anything, you want to make sure that your hands are clean. This will keep you from accidentally introducing bacteria into your drain or your incision. Also, if there are any tools that you have been given they should also be cleaned thoroughly. You may get a cup to measure your discharge and again, this needs to be washed properly.
You need to remember that more fluid will drain out at the beginning of your recovery than it will when it has been healing for a bit. At a minimum, checking it four times a day (about every six hours) will make sure that you get rid of the fluid before the bulb becomes too full. You should get instructions on how to empty the bulb. You just need to ensure that you clean everything before shutting up your device again.
Keep an eye on the incision as well. Make sure that it is not looking red and inflamed or that there is no discharge coming from the wound instead of the drain. Also make sure that the tube is not kinked or bent. If there are any problems, make sure you call your doctor and be prepared to have them check the area for infections.
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