What is a Surgical Drain & Drain Care Best Practices PRMA Plastic Surgery

Most patients undergoing breast surgery or breast reconstruction surgery will have at least one Jackson-Pratt drain (drain) placed after surgery. Surgery causes damage to the blood and lymph vessels and surrounding tissue. An inflammatory response occurs, and the severed vessels and tissues will produce clear fluid in response. The purpose of the drains is to remove any fluid accumulation from the body.

Rather than allowing the fluid to accumulate around surgical sites, a drain is placed to suction the fluid out reducing the risk of complications such as a seroma, hematoma or fluid retention.

Caring for your drains may seem overwhelming in the beginning but rest assured, is completely manageable.

You should receive an output log prior to surgery from your nurse. This piece of paper will be your best friend! Once you have your log, it is always wise to number your drains (if you have more than one) so you ensure that you are recording the correct output on each drain consistently. Immediately after surgery you may notice that your drains put out a larger amount of fluid than they do when you are a week or two out from surgery. This is completely normal! Record your drain output on each drain every 4-6 hours and then empty the fluid once it has been recorded. When the fluid amount lessens, you can extend your measuring time to 8-12 hours. Your nurse will want to see this output log at all of your post-op appointments. Once your drain output levels are low enough (varies by patient), the nurse will remove your drains in the office.

If you notice a drain has suddenly stopped producing any fluid, it is likely because it is clogged. If this happens you can unclog it with these simple steps.

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

2. Grip the drain tube with the thumb and index finger, close to the skin where it comes out of the body.

3. With the fingers of the other hand, squeeze down the length of the tube. Start where it comes out of the body, and finish at the bulb of the tube.

This motion is called stripping the drain. It may take a few tries to get the drain flowing again. Once you have the drain stripped and working again, wash your hands with soap and water.

Drains are meant to aide in the healing process but there are a few things you should look out for and contact your PRMA nurse if you see these things.

1. The stitches that hold the drain in place have fallen out.

2. You are running a fever of over 100 F

3. The drainage is cloudy or has a foul-smelling odor.

4. You notice that the fluid is more blood-like than fluid-like.

Author: Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo and Delaney Crawford

Caring for your drains may seem overwhelming in the beginning but rest assured, is completely manageable.

Sign Up for Our Monthly Newsletter

Online Form – Newsletter Signup

Continue Reading

Breast Reconstruction Surgery and Your Period
Breast Reconstruction Surgery and Your Period

Breast Reconstruction Surgery and Your Period December 02, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin During our pre-operative appointment with patients, a topic that occasionally arises is menstrual cycles.  It is completely normal for women to experience changes with their periods throughout breast cancer treatments.  These can be temporary or permanent.  Periods can be unpredictable following […]

Read More

 

What Bras and Abdominal Girdles to Wear After Breast Reconstruction Surgery

What Bras and Abdominal Girdles to Wear After Breast Reconstruction Surgery November 17, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin When preparing for breast reconstruction surgery, many patients want to know what types of bras and abdominal girdles they should plan to wear after surgery. Although every surgeon has slightly different preferences, we have put together […]

Read More

 

My 5 DIEP Flap Realities | A Guest Blog From Julie

My 5 DIEP Flap Realities October 28, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hi everyone, my name is Julie from It’s a Bosom Thing. I am so happy to be here as a guest blogger and have this opportunity to share with you a few thoughts about life after DIEP Flap Surgery. I was diagnosed […]

Read More

 

bra day 2020
PRMA’s BRA Day Virtual Event Recap

PRMA’s BRA Day Virtual Event Recap September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yesterday we celebrated Breast Reconstruction Awareness day! Although we missed seeing everyone in person this year, we were still able to spread education and awareness on ALL reconstructive options through our virtual efforts.  We were also able to share information on […]

Read More

 

Second Stage DIEP Flap Surgery
Second Stage DIEP Flap Surgery

Second Stage DIEP Flap Surgery September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin DIEP flap breast reconstruction is typically comprised of at least two stages for the best outcomes.  The second stage of surgery is commonly referred to as the “revision” stage and is usually performed about three months after the initial reconstruction.  The purpose […]

Read More

 

flaps good option for breast reconstruction_ PRMA Plastic Surgery
If ‘Flaps’ Are Such A Great Breast Reconstruction Option, Why Doesn’t Everyone Get Them?

If ‘Flaps’ Are Such A Great Breast Reconstruction Option, Why Doesn’t Everyone Get Them? September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Flap-based breast reconstruction procedures, like the DIEP flap, offer patients a safe, natural implant-alternative option to reconstruction after a mastectomy.  Flap surgeries are permanent and are associated with fewer complications after radiation when […]

Read More

 

Skin Island in Breast Reconstruction _ PRMA Plastic Surgery
What is a Skin Island and How is it Used in Breast Reconstruction?

What is a Skin Island and How is it Used in Breast Reconstruction? September 08, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin What is a “skin island”? The term “skin island” is used to describe the remaining visible skin from a transplanted “flap” of tissue. In the setting of DIEP flap breast reconstruction, the skin island […]

Read More

 

comparing apex and diep flap
Comparing APEX Flap and DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

Comparing APEX Flap and DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction August 10, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin We have been receiving numerous inquiries about the “APEX flap” recently.  Patients want to know what it is and how it differs from the DIEP flap. APEX is an acronym that stands for “Abdominal Perforator Exchange”.  Many patients believe […]

Read More

 

Monitoring the Health of Your Flap During & After Surgery PRMA Plastic Surgery
Monitoring the Health of Your Flap During & After Surgery

​Monitoring the Health of Your Flap During & After Surgery July 21, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin Autologous flap (or tissue) breast reconstruction procedures represent today’s most advanced options for rebuilding a breast(s) following mastectomy. The most commonly performed method of flap-based reconstruction at PRMA is the DIEP flap. During this procedure, surgeons transplant skin […]

Read More

 

COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Patient’s Mortality PRMA Plastic Surgery
​COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Patient’s Mortality

​COVID-19 and the Impact on Cancer Patient’s Mortality July 21, 2020 Share on Facebook Twitter Linkedin There is still so much we do not know about COVID-19. Likewise, there is little known about how this disease impacts mortality for cancer patients. A study published in The Lancet evaluated and characterized the outcomes of patients with cancer […]

Read More

 

post-img
Prev post

Intermittent Fasting – Is This A Healthy Weight Loss Trend for Breast Cancer Patients?

Next post

Common Abbreviations for Breast Cancer & Reconstruction

post-img