Going home with a wound drain after breast surgery, Lecture notes of General Surgery

Download Going home with a wound drain after breast surgery and more Lecture notes General Surgery in PDF only on Docsity! Page 1 of 5 Going home with a wound drain after breast surgery This leaflet explains more about how to care for your wound drain after breast surgery. If you have any further questions, please speak to a doctor or nurse caring for you. What is a wound drain? During your operation you may have a drain inserted. This is a long, flexible, thin plastic tube designed to prevent fluid collection and reduce swelling. Fluid is drained via the tube into a lightweight plastic container. You may go home with this drain in place. This is safe and will not affect your recovery. The nurses on the ward will explain to you how to care for your drain before going home from hospital. The drain will usually be removed about three to five days after the operation when the volume of fluid has reduced. You should be given an appointment to attend the breast dressing clinic in the Rose Centre before you leave hospital. What equipment will I take home with me? You will be given some dressings, gauze, alcohol wipes and an extra drainage bottle to take home. How should I look after my wound drain?  Keep the drain site area dry.  Take care not to let the drain drag or pull as this may cause discomfort. You can put the drainage bottle into a small plastic bag to make it easier to carry with you, or attach the bag or loop to a belt and wear around your waist.  Check the green concertina bung is compressed (see example on page 3). The nurse will show you how to do this. This means that the vacuum is on. If the bung is raised and moves the bottle will need changing.  Check the fluid. It should be clear and can range in colour from a dark pink to a yellowish straw colour.  Check the dressing around the site daily for oozing of fluid. You will be given spare dressings to put on top of drain dressings that become loose.  Measure the drainage in the bottle at the same time every day. This helps us to assess how much the drain has been producing. Mark the bottle and record the reading on the chart provided page 4. Please call your Breast Care Nurse or attend the Urgent Care Centre located in A&E if out of hours (see number below) as soon as possible if any of the following apply: Page 2 of 5  You have a sudden swelling at the wound site which is causing you severe pain. This may be caused by a collection of blood developing under the wound or fluid that will not drain, for example the drain is blocked. You will need to be seen by a doctor  If the dressing becomes stained heavily with blood (it is normal to have some red/yellow staining).  If the fluid collected in the bottle (drain output) looks like pure blood.  If you experience excessive pain, oozing, skin redness, swelling, or hardness around the drain site. Non urgent problems that you may need to seek advice from the ward or your breast care nurse  If the tubing disconnects or the green concertina bung is no longer compressed (Follow instructions page 3).  If the bottle becomes full and requires changing (Follow instructions page 3). What should I do if the drain falls out? Occasionally, the drainage tubing may get caught and the drain can be completely pulled out. Don’t panic if this happens, wash your hands and apply pressure to the opening in the skin with a piece of gauze for a few minutes then apply a clean dressing. Call your Breast Care nurse to let her know (telephone number on page 4). Do not attempt to push the drain back in as this may introduce infection. Is there anything to look out for after my drain has been removed? A collection of fluid called a seroma may develop under the wound once the drain has been removed. This is common and it normally is reabsorbed naturally by your body. However if it is a large amount causing some discomfort contact your Breast Care Nurse so it can be further assessed to see if it requires drainage. Caring for your drain at home 1. Please measure your drain on a 24-hour basis at the same time every day and record it on the sheet provided. 2. The green concertina part of the drain should remain pressed down (figure 1a). If this has popped out (figure 1b.), it means that the drain has lost its suction and will no longer work effectively.