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This video will assist you in caring for your drains at home. Following your surgery, it may be required for you to discharge from the hospital with a drain in place. The purpose of the drain is to prevent a buildup of fluid that the body produces in the early stages of healing.

Components of a surgical drain

The components of the surgical drain include the tubing attached to the incision site, the upper clamp, the lower clamp, the bellow itself, and the drain bag. We recommend you record the drain output daily at approximately the same time and notify our rooms of the 24 hour total each day.

How to measure your drain output

To measure your drain output first of all, close the top clamp, open the bottom clamp and gently squeeze the bellow . Whilst holding down, clamp the bottom clamp. It is most important that the top clamp is reopened. Using a marking pen, mark, the fluid and the date on the drain bag . Also record it in your drain log and notify our rooms of the output each day.

Important tip

After finishing and measuring your drain output, it's important to ensure that the drain bellow is compressed to maintain suction on the wound. You may be required to squeeze the bellow multiple times throughout the day to ensure the drain maintains suction. However, the volume only needs to be recorded once every 24 hours.

Changing the drain bag

If your drain remains for multiple days, you may need to change the drain bag. This can be done by simply twisting off the bag and twisting on a new one . To dispose of the full bag, place the cap on the bag and place it in the rubbish bin.

Drain FAQs

1. Where will the drains be located? It varies for both procedures, but for breast procedures, your drains, will be located on the side of the breast. For arm and thigh surgeries surgical drains will be at the far end of your wound. For tummies drains will be located in the pubic area.

2. How long will the drains remain in place?

This is dependent on how large your surgery is, the larger your surgery, the more fluid your body produces, and therefore your drains may need to stay in for longer. Generally, once your drain output reaches 30 to 40 mls in a 24 hour period, it is ready to be removed. Please contact our rooms to schedule an appointment with our nurses for the drain to be removed. Should you have any concerns with your drain, please contact our rooms or Dr Cheng immediately.

3. What does it feel like to have drains removed? 

Typically drain removal is not painful but it can feel unusual.  One of our patients described it as "feeling like something was being dragged over my hip bone from the inside. This was creepy like a worm but not painful!"