darn drain

STEP A-WAY FROM THE SCISSORS
Don't do ANYTHING until you talk to your surgeon.
These medical 'miracles' they hook us up to are very specifically designed for reasons we would never think of and may not understand even after having it explained, but it is never a good idea to alter any medical device without advice from the experts first.

Drain lines...
Hi Ginger,

I am 3 1/2 weeks post-op and I too had problems with the drain lines becoming clogged. Very annoying, as the fluid was leaking out near where they were sutured in and I had a virtual stream running down the front of me. I simply "milked" the tubes, to get the clots to move down and into the bulb at the bottom. I held onto the tube very tghtly near the top (so that it doesn't pull on the sutures) and squeezed the tube between my fingers, using a downward motion. It was a little time consuming, but eventually, things moved down and the tubes became unblocked. Sometimes, it was easier to get my fingers to slide along the tubes if I held the tube with a Wet Ones or baby wipe...the moisture from it helped my fingers slide easier. It took a little patience, but I got them pretty well cleared.

Also, the tubes are as long as they are so that gravity will help the fluid to drain. If they are very short, it is not as effective.

Good luck and best wishes... CR

cabbott said:

On cutting the line
I would ask your surgeon first. It seems to me that you might be possibly raising the odds of an infection if you shorten the line. You don't need that right now to say the least. Good luck!

C. Abbott

Don't cut anything!
Cabbot is absolutely correct! The tube is going into your chest. If you cut the tube you are providing an excellent entry port for bacteria. That is another reason it's important to keep the bulb "charged" (squished down), and with the cap closed solidly. If you have a lot of drainage at you skin, put some gauze around it,and change the gauze when it gets wet because gauze that is wet from drainage, and sits around a wound for a long period,can be another place for bacteria to grow. If milking it doesn't help, call the doc because maybe it's too plugged to work, and he needs to fix it or remove it (they rarely replace it if it's been in for awhile). Sounds like you're being careful with handling it, but just remember---you, or someone helping you, can NEVER wash your hands enough---before and after handling it.
My drains came out in about 5 days, but everyone is different. Like everything else we moan about, when in doubt, call your Dr.!!! And yes, even if it IS a holiday, it's not for you.
Let us know what happens,
Jan

Drain
I had the same problem with my drain - one thing I did to absorb the excess that leaked is take a sanitary pad, leave the plastic on the back and tuck it into your bra. Mine was under the arm and I am allergic to tape (any kind) so the pad absorbed the excess. Its soft so doesn't cause any irritation and the liner that keeps the surface dry prevents that gushy feeling. The plastic backing kept it off my clothes. My surgeon said it was "genius" to use that when gauze, etc failed. By not having the wetness it helped. I feel for you - that was the most irritating thing about the surgery for me - I wasn't told about milking the drain until two weeks after - so my time with it was prolonged - six weeks. My prayers are out there for you.