Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Post-Op Drain

 You have been discharged with a Jackson-Pratt drainage tube. During surgery, tubes (drains) are commonly placed under the skin to allow excess blood and other fluids out of the body. Drains are helpful in decreasing the risk of infection and allowing the surgical wound to heal faster.  Drains come in a few different shapes and sizes but most are patterned after the original suction drain called the Jackson Pratt drain. However, all drains work on the same principle.

 The drain is actually inside your body. The tubing from the drain (which is usually sutured to the skin at the exit site)connects to a “reservoir”. The reservoir when squeezed empty and reconnected to the tubing applies suction to the drain and pulls the fluid out of the body.

 Your drains are removed when the excess fluids have finished draining from your body. Removal of the drains is usually done by your surgeon during an office visit several days or weeks after surgery. The following instructions will help you care for your drains at home. Call your surgeon’s office if you have any questions about your drains

Home Care

• Don’t sleep on the same side as the tube.

• Secure the tube and bag inside your clothing or sleepwear  with a safety pin. This helps keep the tube from being pulled out. Allow slack for  tugging of the tube during daily activities and sleep. Do not put the safety pin through the tubing or the reservoir.

• Empty your drain at least twice a day. More often if the drain is full.

• Wash your hands thoroughly

• Strip or “milk” drainage tubing going from exit site (out of your body) downward to reservoir. To Strip: a) Beginning at exit site, hold drainage tubing with one hand and with the other hand stretch and release  tubing an inch at a time, while moving downward, with both hands, towards the reservoir. b) Do this 2-3 times            

•  Remove plug from reservoir spout or ‘drainage port’ (Step #1)

• Pour drainage into measuring cup.

• Flatten reservoir to create a vacuum .The vacuum helps to draw out the fluids from under your skin. (Step#2)

 

• Close drainage port (Step #3)

• Write down drainage amount on attached chart. Be sure to take chart to your follow-up appointment.

• Do not attach the drainage reservoir to your pants or underwear

• Attach the reservoir below the level of the exit site

• When you shower, tie a string to the drainage reservoir and loop it around your neck or tie it around your waist.

• Tape plastic wrap over the bandage and tube site

• when you shower.

 

 

When to Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:

• Redness or swelling of the skin, or significant drainage around the area

  where the tube exits the body.

• Fever over 101°F

• Fluid leaking around the tube or inability to flatten drainage reservoir. These may signify a leak in the drainage tubing.

• Drainage that is foul-smelling

• Tube falls out

 

 

Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Post-Op Drain

 You have been discharged with a Jackson-Pratt drainage tube. During surgery, tubes (drains) are commonly placed under the skin to allow excess blood and other fluids out of the body. Drains are helpful in decreasing the risk of infection and allowing the surgical wound to heal faster.  Drains come in a few different shapes and sizes but most are patterned after the original suction drain called the Jackson Pratt drain. However, all drains work on the same principle.

 The drain is actually inside your body. The tubing from the drain (which is usually sutured to the skin at the exit site)connects to a “reservoir”. The reservoir when squeezed empty and reconnected to the tubing applies suction to the drain and pulls the fluid out of the body.

 Your drains are removed when the excess fluids have finished draining from your body. Removal of the drains is usually done by your surgeon during an office visit several days or weeks after surgery. The following instructions will help you care for your drains at home. Call your surgeon’s office if you have any questions about your drains

Home Care

• Don’t sleep on the same side as the tube.

• Secure the tube and bag inside your clothing or sleepwear  with a safety pin. This helps keep the tube from being pulled out. Allow slack for  tugging of the tube during daily activities and sleep. Do not put the safety pin through the tubing or the reservoir.

• Empty your drain at least twice a day. More often if the drain is full.

• Wash your hands thoroughly

• Strip or “milk” drainage tubing going from exit site (out of your body) downward to reservoir. To Strip: a) Beginning at exit site, hold drainage tubing with one hand and with the other hand stretch and release  tubing an inch at a time, while moving downward, with both hands, towards the reservoir. b) Do this 2-3 times            

•  Remove plug from reservoir spout or ‘drainage port’ (Step #1)

• Pour drainage into measuring cup.

• Flatten reservoir to create a vacuum .The vacuum helps to draw out the fluids from under your skin. (Step#2)

 

• Close drainage port (Step #3)

• Write down drainage amount on attached chart. Be sure to take chart to your follow-up appointment.

• Do not attach the drainage reservoir to your pants or underwear

• Attach the reservoir below the level of the exit site

• When you shower, tie a string to the drainage reservoir and loop it around your neck or tie it around your waist.

• Tape plastic wrap over the bandage and tube site

• when you shower.

 

 

When to Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:

• Redness or swelling of the skin, or significant drainage around the area

  where the tube exits the body.

• Fever over 101°F

• Fluid leaking around the tube or inability to flatten drainage reservoir. These may signify a leak in the drainage tubing.

• Drainage that is foul-smelling

• Tube falls out

 

 

Discharge Instructions: Caring for Your Post-Op Drain

 You have been discharged with a Jackson-Pratt drainage tube. During surgery, tubes (drains) are commonly placed under the skin to allow excess blood and other fluids out of the body. Drains are helpful in decreasing the risk of infection and allowing the surgical wound to heal faster.  Drains come in a few different shapes and sizes but most are patterned after the original suction drain called the Jackson Pratt drain. However, all drains work on the same principle.

 The drain is actually inside your body. The tubing from the drain (which is usually sutured to the skin at the exit site)connects to a “reservoir”. The reservoir when squeezed empty and reconnected to the tubing applies suction to the drain and pulls the fluid out of the body.

 Your drains are removed when the excess fluids have finished draining from your body. Removal of the drains is usually done by your surgeon during an office visit several days or weeks after surgery. The following instructions will help you care for your drains at home. Call your surgeon’s office if you have any questions about your drains

Home Care

• Don’t sleep on the same side as the tube.

• Secure the tube and bag inside your clothing or sleepwear  with a safety pin. This helps keep the tube from being pulled out. Allow slack for  tugging of the tube during daily activities and sleep. Do not put the safety pin through the tubing or the reservoir.

• Empty your drain at least twice a day. More often if the drain is full.

• Wash your hands thoroughly

• Strip or “milk” drainage tubing going from exit site (out of your body) downward to reservoir. To Strip: a) Beginning at exit site, hold drainage tubing with one hand and with the other hand stretch and release  tubing an inch at a time, while moving downward, with both hands, towards the reservoir. b) Do this 2-3 times            

•  Remove plug from reservoir spout or ‘drainage port’ (Step #1)

• Pour drainage into measuring cup.

• Flatten reservoir to create a vacuum .The vacuum helps to draw out the fluids from under your skin. (Step#2)

 

• Close drainage port (Step #3)

• Write down drainage amount on attached chart. Be sure to take chart to your follow-up appointment.

• Do not attach the drainage reservoir to your pants or underwear

• Attach the reservoir below the level of the exit site

• When you shower, tie a string to the drainage reservoir and loop it around your neck or tie it around your waist.

• Tape plastic wrap over the bandage and tube site

• when you shower.

 

 

When to Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:

• Redness or swelling of the skin, or significant drainage around the area

  where the tube exits the body.

• Fever over 101°F

• Fluid leaking around the tube or inability to flatten drainage reservoir. These may signify a leak in the drainage tubing.

• Drainage that is foul-smelling

• Tube falls out