Drainage is applied to ensure the drainage of wound fluids from the body. The procedure can be used both therapeutically and preventively.
What is drainage?
Drainage is a medical method of draining wound fluids from body cavities, wounds or abscesses. Drainage, also spelled drainage, is a medical method of draining wound fluids from body cavities, wounds, or abscesses. These include blood, pus and secretions. But also intruded gases can be drained from the body with this procedure. For this purpose, physicians use so-called drains. These are devices such as tubes or hoses that are used to drain wound fluids. Depending on the site of action of the method, which is primarily used in surgery, a distinction is made between external and internal drains. External drainages are used more frequently than internal ones. In this case, the physician performs a drainage from the inside of the body to the outside. To accomplish this, he uses special tubes made of plastic. Internal drains are created to bypass internal obstructions during a surgical procedure. These may be short circuits (anastomoses) of hollow organs such as the stomach, intestines, or esophagus used to establish continuity.
Function, effect, and goals
Drainage is used in the context of surgery. For example, blood, wound secretions, or tissue fluid usually accumulates during a surgical procedure. The body can also absorb and break down certain amounts of fluid on its own. By placing a drain, the accumulation of fluid in the wound cavity can be prevented. In this way, the healing process is significantly facilitated. Doctors distinguish between several types of drainage. One of the most common forms is the Redon drainage. This was named after the French physician Redon and is usually used in the subcutaneous fatty tissue or a joint. This creates a suction that pulls the wound surfaces together. This allows the wound to adhere and grow together more quickly. After about 48 to 72 hours, the Redon drain can be removed again, which ultimately depends on the extent of wound secretion. Robinson drainage is a closed wound drainage system. Here, no replacement of the bag takes place. Instead, the secretion is drained via a drainage nozzle. The Robinson drainage, which is inserted intra-abdominally, functions without suction. It serves as a target drainage within the surgical region. It drains any bleeding that occurs to the outside. Capillary drainage is another type of drainage. It is applied as a drainage in the abdominal cavity or in case of soft tissue infections. It is also used to prevent anastomotic insufficiency. The drainage of the secretion is either into the dressing or an ostomy bag. The capillary drainage can remain in the body until the secretion has completely drained away. Shirley drainage is the term used for a so-called slurper. This drainage is primarily used in the abdominal region for abscesses. There it drains the secretion under suction. Suction is prevented by means of a valve. A T-drainage is a drainage in the bile duct, the rubber tube of which looks like the letter T. The secretion is drained via the bile duct. The secretion is drained through the abdominal wall into a special collection bag. The T-drainage is used for temporary drainage of bile in case of drainage obstruction caused by mucosal swelling following surgery. Pancreatic drainage, which is used on the pancreas, works in a similar way to T-drainage. When the drainage is obstructed due to swelling, it drains the aggressive secretions from the gland. Another type of drainage is the thoracic drainage. With the help of a skin incision, the surgeon inserts it into the pleural cavity. It can be operated with a permanent suction or a simple surgeon’s surgeon. Different materials are used for the various types of drainage. Their use depends on the intended purpose. Materials include silicone, which is suitable for long-term drainage and has good tissue compatibility, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is used almost exclusively for suction drains. Other materials include siliconized latex, latex and natural rubber.While siliconized latex is well suited for long-term drainage, latex and natural rubber are used for short-term drainage.
Risks, side effects, and hazards
There are rarely any risks associated with inserting an external drain. For example, this procedure is primarily used to relieve the patient’s pressure. However, in rare cases, arrosion hemorrhage may occur. Such damage occurs when the adjacent soft tissue is affected by the rigid end of the tube, which is possible if the tube is left in place for a long time. Injury to the blood vessels is considered particularly dangerous. This can lead to life-threatening bleeding. Another risk when inserting a drain is the risk of infection. Thus, the drainage and catheter systems form an entrance for germs of various kinds. The pathogens enter through the tube, through which they enter the patient’s organism. It is also possible for the germs to rise up the outer wall of the tube. The longer the patient has to lie down, the more his risk of suffering an infection increases. In most cases, an ascending infection becomes apparent after about two days. However, removal of the drainage usually takes place after one to three days. If a drain remains in the wound for an extended period of time, there is increasing adhesion of the tube ends within the wound. This often results in pain when the tubing is removed.
