Drain instructions

Drain care is a clean procedure. Supplies do not need to be sterile, but you must wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before performing drain care.

Perform drainage care twice a day:

• Discard the drainage once in the morning and once in the evening.
• Try to empty the drain at the same time each day.
• Pull the stopper out of the drainage bottle and empty the drainage fluid into the measuring cup.
• Record the amount of drainage fluid on the record sheet.
• Dispose of the drainage fluid in a toilet or rinse it down a sink.
• Reestablish drain suction. (See "Types of Drains" for instructions on re-& establishing suction.

Various types of suction devices are used on wound drain systems. Prior to your discharge from the hospital, a nurse will specify which type of drain and suction device you have and will instruct you on proper drain care for your wound.

Correcting problems with the drain:

If the drain tube becomes temporarily obstructed or is not draining properly, you may:

• Bend the tubing over your fingers.
• Gently squeeze the tube between your thumb and index finger, moving your fingers along the tubing toward the suction bottle, to help dislodge the obstruction or blood clot.

Call your physician if any of the following occur:

• The drainage suddenly stops (The drainage should decrease gradually, not abruptly.)
• There's a sudden change in the color of the drainage.
• The drainage should gradually change from blood to a straw-colored fluid.
• Call if the drainage becomes bloody again or changes to a milky white fluid.
• There's an increase in redness or swelling around the insertion site of the drain.