Technical Notes and Tips: Removal of Surgical Drains

Abstract

Occasionally, a drain is caught within surrounding soft tissue during closure of a surgical wound. This is clinically difficult to differentiate with a drain that has been inadvertently sutured into the wound. Upon attempted removal, in either situation, the drain may stretch or break and require surgical extraction. A useful technique when faced with this is the application of constant traction on the drain with weights. These can be increased by 5 lb every 15 min until the drain falls out by itself (Fig. 1), thereby avoiding another general anaesthetic and freeing up a member of staff. Figure 1 Removal of drain using traction.