Drains Flashcards
What is the purpose of inserting a drain in a patient?
Drainage of blood (haemothorax), fluid (ascitis), Pus (empyema) and air (pneumothorax)
Prevention of fluid accumulation (e.g. bile after biliary surgery)
Prevention of adhesion formation
What indicates that an inserted drain post-op should be removed (as in tx complete not pathological)
<30-50ml/24hrs depending on procedure
List the types of drains
Open passive drains
Closed passive drains
Closed active drains
T-tube drains (rarely used)
What is this drain? (name and type)
Penrose drain (Open passive drain)
What is this drain? (name and type)
PICO drain (Closed active drain)
What is this drain? (name and type)
Robinson Drain (Closed passive drain)
What is this drain? (name and type)
VAC drain (Closed active drain)
What is this drain? (name and type)
Yeates drain (Open passive drain)
An open passive drain only provides a conduit for drainage providing capillary action to drain the fluid. Give an example of an open passive drain
Penrose drain
Yeates Drain
Closed passive drains take advantage of the siphon effect of gravity and capillary action to drain the fluid. Give an example of a closed passive drain
Robinson drain
Closed active drains give active suction via -ve pressure to help drain the fluid. Give 2 examples of commonly used closed active drains
VAC dressing
PICO dressing
How do VAC and PICO compare?
VAC can be titrated and is stronger than PICO
PICO cannot be titrated and has less -ve pressure than VAC (It also has flattened tubes to compare)
What is the main indication to insert a T-tube in practice?
What is the benefit of using it?
Common bile duct exploration
Allows for repeat percutaneous transhepatic angiograms and extraction of residual stones
