Surgical drains are devices used to drain fluid, blood, pus or air from surgical sites to promote proper healing. There are different types of drains including flat drains that rely on gravity, tube drains with single or double lumens, and closed drains inside bags or bottles to prevent infection. Drains can be passive and rely on pressure differentials or active with suction provided by devices like Jackson-Pratt or Hemovac drains. Common sites drained include the chest, abdomen, and bile duct. Proper placement and monitoring of drains is important to avoid complications.

1. Surgical drains

2. Drains
• Drains are the devices that act as a channel to
drain established or potential collection of
blood,pus,body fluid or air.
• Often used after surgeries .
• Recording of quantity and content of drainage
is vital to ensure proper healing.

3. Flat
• Dependent on gravity and
capillary action.
eg:Penrose drain
• Less painful and help
obliterate dead space

4. Tube
• Single lumen(+/- side holes)
• Double lumen(sump drains)

5. Classification
• Open vs closed systems
• Active vs passive

6. Open drains;
• Drain fluid collects in gauze pad or stoma
bag(increase the risk of infection)
eg:Penrose drain
Closed drains
• Consists of tubes draining into a bag or bottle.
Eg; jackson –pratt drains

7. • Maintained under suction
Advantage
• Keep wound dry
• Can be placed anywhere
• Prevent bacterial ascension
Disadvantage
• High negative pressure may injure tissue
• Drain clogged by tissue

8. Passive drains
• Have no suction
• Drains by means of pressure
differentials,overflow and gravity.

9. Jackson –Pratt drain
• Bulb shaped device
connected to a tube
• Bulb is squeezed and
connected to the tube
and with negative
pressure body fluid is
drained
• Used in breast,abdominal
and thoracic surgeries

10. Hemovac drain
• One end of tube with multiple holes goes into
the body and other end is connected to
hemovac bag(squeezed before connecting the
tube)

11. Pigtail drain
• Inserted under
strict radiological
guidance
• Used for drainage
of liver abscess, as
a nephrostomy
tube

12. Penrose drain
• Soft and flexible
• Passive drainage
• Drainage from the
area of greater
pressure of wound
to area of lesser
pressure

13. Davol drain
• Device has a rubber
bulb on top of the drain
that act as a pump
• Pump and inflate the
balloon
• And then plug in the
drain before balloon
deflates(inflated balloon
creates the suction)

14. T tube
• Consists of stem and a cross head is placed in
the common bile duct while stem connected
to a bile bag(post op drainage of common bile
duct)

15. Chest tube(closed drain)
• Inserted in the 4th intercostal space in the
upper border of the rib below .
Uses
• Hemothorax
• pneumothorax
• pleural effusion
• chylothorax

16. Complications
• Arterial thrombosis
• air embolism
• hematoma
• bleeding
• infection

18. Nasogastric tube
• A tube passes through nostrils to stomach
Uses
• Aspiration of gastric juice
• Lavage
• Feeding

19. Complication
• Epistaxis
• aspiration
• erosions in nasal cavity

20. Negative pressure wound
therapy
• Promote wound
healing reduction of
bacteria in the wound
• Eg; skin grafted sites
and burn,infected
wound and diabetic
ulcers

21. Complication Of drain
• Inefficient drainage
• Obstruction
• Erosion into hollow organs
• Poor placement
• Accumulation Of fluid
• Foreign body reaction
• Poor post op management