Drain tubes are usually needed after operations that involve the opening up of body cavities. The role of these tubes is to facilitate the removal of fluids from the sites for a few days. Depending on the type of operation, such fluids may include pus, serous secretions, blood or even mucous. There are a number of things that you need to know so as to effectively manage a drain tube after surgery.
The mechanisms that are involved in the removal of fluids from body cavities after operations fall under two categories: active and passive. The passive process depends on the force of gravity. To utilize this mechanism, a jar is connected to a drain and placed below the level of the patient. The active mechanism, on the other hand, requires some type of suctioning force to be used. The choice of the mechanism depends on the type of operation.
The tube is usually left in position as the patient comes from the operating room to the post-operative ward. The most important thing from this point onward is to conduct regular inspections to ensure that the drain is functioning properly. Signs of malfunction include, among others, leakage of the fluids, redness and oozing.
Subsequent inspections should ideally be made at intervals of four hours. The same procedure conducted during the initial evaluation should be repeated. One of the most frequently encountered complications is localized or generalized infection. Such should be suspected if there is abnormal oozing (of pus), redness at the point of entry, increased tenderness within the site and a fever. A cotton swab of pus and blood culture tests are usually used for confirmation.
Leakage is likely to be seen if the tube if the incision around the tube is not properly closed to form an air-tight seal. The same may occur if a patient is moved from one place to another. The stop-gap measure in such a situation is to reinforce the incision site with dressing and adhesive tape. If the leakage is too much, secondary closure using sutures may have to be done.
Documentation is one of the most important exercises in the monitoring process. It ensures that all the members in the healthcare team are up to speed with what is happening even if they are not present during every visit. Making a regular record of the amount of fluid, for instance, will help determine if there is a decrease or an increase.
Removal of the drain is done when it stops draining or if the amount that is released per day drops to less than 25 milliliters per day. A bit of pain may be experienced during the removal so it would be a good idea to take some pain killers beforehand. For those that have had the drain for a long time, granulation tissue may make it quite difficult to remove the tube.
The patient can be discharged from the hospital once the tube is removed except when other complications have been identified. Antibiotics will be needed for some time to prevent infections even as dressing is continued. If you notice an increase in oozing, experience a fever or notice the insertion area is tender, talk to your doctor.
The mechanisms that are involved in the removal of fluids from body cavities after operations fall under two categories: active and passive. The passive process depends on the force of gravity. To utilize this mechanism, a jar is connected to a drain and placed below the level of the patient. The active mechanism, on the other hand, requires some type of suctioning force to be used. The choice of the mechanism depends on the type of operation.
The tube is usually left in position as the patient comes from the operating room to the post-operative ward. The most important thing from this point onward is to conduct regular inspections to ensure that the drain is functioning properly. Signs of malfunction include, among others, leakage of the fluids, redness and oozing.
Subsequent inspections should ideally be made at intervals of four hours. The same procedure conducted during the initial evaluation should be repeated. One of the most frequently encountered complications is localized or generalized infection. Such should be suspected if there is abnormal oozing (of pus), redness at the point of entry, increased tenderness within the site and a fever. A cotton swab of pus and blood culture tests are usually used for confirmation.
Leakage is likely to be seen if the tube if the incision around the tube is not properly closed to form an air-tight seal. The same may occur if a patient is moved from one place to another. The stop-gap measure in such a situation is to reinforce the incision site with dressing and adhesive tape. If the leakage is too much, secondary closure using sutures may have to be done.
Documentation is one of the most important exercises in the monitoring process. It ensures that all the members in the healthcare team are up to speed with what is happening even if they are not present during every visit. Making a regular record of the amount of fluid, for instance, will help determine if there is a decrease or an increase.
Removal of the drain is done when it stops draining or if the amount that is released per day drops to less than 25 milliliters per day. A bit of pain may be experienced during the removal so it would be a good idea to take some pain killers beforehand. For those that have had the drain for a long time, granulation tissue may make it quite difficult to remove the tube.
The patient can be discharged from the hospital once the tube is removed except when other complications have been identified. Antibiotics will be needed for some time to prevent infections even as dressing is continued. If you notice an increase in oozing, experience a fever or notice the insertion area is tender, talk to your doctor.
About the Author:
When you are looking for the facts about a drain tube after surgery, pay a visit to our web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://www.medicaldrain.com now.
0 comments:
Post a Comment