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.
If you do not care for the incision properly your wound can get infected and this can have very serious effects. You may end up back in the hospital and need additional surgeries to deal with the infection. At the very least, it can slow down the healing process and delay your recovery.
Often, a doctor will give you written instructions that describe how to look after yourself while recovering. You do want to make sure you do not do anything like swim while you have a drain installed as this can introduce non-sterile liquid into your wound. You also want to make sure that you have the device pinned to your clothing in such a way that it cannot be pulled or tugged. This can be painful and may end up causing the device to become dislodged.
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.
Clean your hands before you start. You will often have bacteria on them and this can transfer to your drain. It can then travel up the tube and enter your wound. This can result in big problems if you do not get the infection stopped before it spreads. Also measure any other tools such as cups that you will use to measure the fluid that has collected.
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.
If you do not care for the incision properly your wound can get infected and this can have very serious effects. You may end up back in the hospital and need additional surgeries to deal with the infection. At the very least, it can slow down the healing process and delay your recovery.
Often, a doctor will give you written instructions that describe how to look after yourself while recovering. You do want to make sure you do not do anything like swim while you have a drain installed as this can introduce non-sterile liquid into your wound. You also want to make sure that you have the device pinned to your clothing in such a way that it cannot be pulled or tugged. This can be painful and may end up causing the device to become dislodged.
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.
Clean your hands before you start. You will often have bacteria on them and this can transfer to your drain. It can then travel up the tube and enter your wound. This can result in big problems if you do not get the infection stopped before it spreads. Also measure any other tools such as cups that you will use to measure the fluid that has collected.
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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