If you have recently had surgery you have a lot of things on your mind. You may still be recovering from the procedure itself and trying to deal with pain and loss of mobility. If you have a drain, you may also be trying to care for this device as well. Surgical drain care is not difficult and there are really only a few steps to accomplishing it.
It may surprise you at first when you find a drain in your incision. Your doctor may not have known that your incision would need one until he completed your surgery. You may also have more than one drain installed if your incision is quite large or deep. The purpose of these devices is to allow blood and other liquids to travel out of your body instead of staying in the wound.
One of the main problems with any incision healing is the fact that it could become infected. Suturing an incision closed will help prevent this, but what do you do if you have an open wound with a drain inserted into it? The key is to handle the area properly so that you do not end up with bigger problems later on.
Your doctor may have specific instructions that they want you to follow. This may include specific colors of fluids to look for. They may also send home written instructions with you after your surgery or give instructions to your caregiver so that they can look after you properly. If there are specific instructions relating to your surgery it is important that you follow them to ensure you heal properly.
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.
Cleaning your equipment is very important. If there is any bacteria it can transfer to your drain and end up traveling into the wound. This can leave you with a very serious infection on your end. Even clean the cup that you use to measure how much discharge is coming out of the wound. Don't be surprise though if, after a while, the amount of liquid decreases since this is a sign you are healing.
Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, check your bulb for fluid four times a day. In the beginning, fluid will drain out more quickly than it will as healing progresses. If you find that your bulb is more than half full, it is a good time to get rid of the liquid. Make sure you write down how much collected and what it looked like.
You need to be aware of signs of infection and know how to tell when you need to seek medical attention. If you suddenly see a lot of fluid coming out, if the liquid gets very thick or smells foul, or the liquid starts coming out of the incision as well you will need to at least contact your physician.
It may surprise you at first when you find a drain in your incision. Your doctor may not have known that your incision would need one until he completed your surgery. You may also have more than one drain installed if your incision is quite large or deep. The purpose of these devices is to allow blood and other liquids to travel out of your body instead of staying in the wound.
One of the main problems with any incision healing is the fact that it could become infected. Suturing an incision closed will help prevent this, but what do you do if you have an open wound with a drain inserted into it? The key is to handle the area properly so that you do not end up with bigger problems later on.
Your doctor may have specific instructions that they want you to follow. This may include specific colors of fluids to look for. They may also send home written instructions with you after your surgery or give instructions to your caregiver so that they can look after you properly. If there are specific instructions relating to your surgery it is important that you follow them to ensure you heal properly.
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.
Cleaning your equipment is very important. If there is any bacteria it can transfer to your drain and end up traveling into the wound. This can leave you with a very serious infection on your end. Even clean the cup that you use to measure how much discharge is coming out of the wound. Don't be surprise though if, after a while, the amount of liquid decreases since this is a sign you are healing.
Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, check your bulb for fluid four times a day. In the beginning, fluid will drain out more quickly than it will as healing progresses. If you find that your bulb is more than half full, it is a good time to get rid of the liquid. Make sure you write down how much collected and what it looked like.
You need to be aware of signs of infection and know how to tell when you need to seek medical attention. If you suddenly see a lot of fluid coming out, if the liquid gets very thick or smells foul, or the liquid starts coming out of the incision as well you will need to at least contact your physician.
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