The Redon drainage is a high-vacuum drainage for the suction of wound secretions after massive surgical interventions. This is inserted in the surgical area before the actual procedure and is pulled out again after about 3 days. This drainage is inserted on bones, under muscle fascia and in subcutaneous tissue.
What is Redon drainage?
Redon drainage is a high-vacuum drain used to aspirate wound secretions after massive surgical procedures. Redon drainage is a so-called suction drainage or high-vacuum drainage, which is often placed in the surgical area after invasive surgical operations. Generally, the Redon drain is located within joints or beneath fatty tissue. The drain is composed of a wall-thick drainage tube and a collection container. The collection container is under negative pressure and thus drains wound secretions and blood from the surgical area. In addition, the suction pulls the wound surfaces together, allowing the wound edges to grow together more quickly. Due to the negative pressure, the drainage contributes to serum prophylaxis or hematoma prophylaxis. Basically, the higher the pressure within the drainage, the better the wound healing. The high vacuum drainage works with a suction of 900 mbar. Depending on the amount of wound secretion drained, the Redon drain is removed 48 – 72 hours postoperatively. The Redon drainage is available in different sizes with a controlled and an uncontrolled suction into the vacuum bottle. The drainage is named after the Parisian oral surgeon Henry Redon.
Function, effect and goals
When the Redon drain is correctly inserted into a closed surgical site, it is referred to as a closed system. The continuous and controlled suction drains the wound fluid and blood to the outside. The end of the drainage, which is inserted inside the surgical area, consists of a thin plastic tube that is perforated several times. Perforated refers to the insertion of multiple openings at the end of the tube to allow more secretions to be drained. The plastic tubing is secured to the tissue with a small suture at the transition from the internal to the external end. A plastic bottle is attached to the external end to collect the wound secretions. The drainage is attached to the vacuum bottle by a bayonet fitting. The constant negative pressure inside the drainage causes continuous suction of the wound secretion. The negative pressure decreases after a certain time within the vacuum flask. To restore this, the vacuum flask must be replaced. In principle, an airtight seal of the wound cavity must be given in order to insert a functioning high-vacuum drain. High-vacuum drains are usually inserted after invasive surgical procedures and are important for the postoperative course of healing. Suction of the wound fluid accelerates wound healing because it reduces the size of the wound cavity. The wound edges are drawn together and can scar or fuse more quickly. Redon drainage is not placed during surgical procedures in the abdominal cavity because it can damage the intestinal wall. The drain is usually removed after 48 – 72 hours postoperatively. If several high-vacuum drains have to be inserted, they must be labeled and the amount of secretion documented differently accordingly. The vacuum bottle must be checked and recorded without gaps. If the bottle is full or the valve indicates that there is no more vacuum in the bottle, it must be replaced. The replacement must be carried out under aspetic conditions. Before connecting the new bottle to the drainage tube, check that the vacuum is intact and that the bottle is undamaged and sterile. Thorough hand disinfection should be performed before and after changing the bottle and reconnecting the drainage tube. The actual procedure is performed with sterile gloves. The high-vacuum drain is pulled out after about 3 days to avoid the risk of ascending infection. Before removing the drain, the patient may be given an analgesic, as this can be uncomfortable or even painful. Before pulling, the sterile wound dressing must first be removed and the drainage exit site disinfected.The attending physician can then grasp the drainage tube and ask the patient to breathe deeply in and out. During exhalation, the tube can be pulled out. Finally, the wound is cleaned again and dressed with sterile dressing material.
Risks, side effects, and hazards
During a surgical procedure, an injury can be caused by the redno skewer. This often involves damage to skin nerves within joints. Due to the access from the outside to the inside via the redon drain, the risk of infection is increased, and germs may form within the surgical area. In addition, the drain can be pulled out completely or incompletely. This often happens in restless, demented and mentally confused patients. The Redon drain may also slip out of place when the patient is repositioned or mobilized. Increased blood loss via the high-vacuum drainage can occur. This is often caused by the incorrect position of the drainage within the cancellous bone. The vacuum flask must be inspected at regular intervals and the values recorded. Occasionally, clogging of the drainage tube may occur due to detached tissue structures, thrombi, clotted blood, and protein and fat components. If the drainage is disturbed, an infected hematoma may result from the backwater of wound secretions. To ensure good drainage, care should therefore always be taken to ensure that the tube is not kinked and that the patient does not lie on the plastic tube. The function of the Redon drainage should therefore be checked regularly to prevent possible complications.
