Drain removal - both or one at a time?

grandma3X · May 2016

I had a left-sided MX in January with no complications. I was sent home with 2 drains and the output was less that 20 cc's per day by the time I went for my first follow up visit with the PS nurse at 8 days postop. She removed both drains, told me to stop talking antibiotics and sent me home. I recovered with no problems.

Last Wed. I had a prophylactic MX of the right side, same surgeons, same outcome. My drains have been putting out less than 20 cc's since Monday and my follow up is on Friday, 9 days postop. The nurse that took my drains out for the first MX will not be there this week, so I'm scheduled to see another nurse in the same office. She has informed me that they only take one drain out at a time and that I will need to come back again next week to have the other one removed! She is afraid that if she takes both out that I will get a seroma.

Is this the norm? I thought most people have both drains pulled the same day unless one is still putting out more fluid. Has anyone heard of having It done on separate days? The nurse thinks that this is the way it's done and was surprised when I told her that I had both drains pulled the same day last time.

SpecialK · May 2016

My current PS does not pull both (one-sided) drains on the same day, even if they are both below the minimum output for normally pulling them. The last time I had drains, in Dec., both drains were below the usual minimum, she pulled one and the output increased on the remaining drain. Less than a week later, the output decreased, and the last drain was pulled. I have previously had both one-sided drains pulled, in fact, have had all four pulled at the same time, but doing this varies from doc to doc, and situation to situation.

kcat2013 · May 2016

My PS only pulled one set at a time, and then a few days later pulled the others. This seems to vary quite a bit for doctor to doctor.

I_Spy · May 2016

I seem to recall getting one at a time pulled. It wasn't like there was a "policy" about it, just completely based on output. As painful/annoying/brutal as these drains are, we have to remember that taking them out too early can result in a pooling of fluid which is a breeding ground for bacteria (and then infection). So breathe deeply and don't rush to take them out. So grrrrrr if you don't get both on the same day, but probably the next one will increase output for a day or two and then it can go too, like Special K said. OMG I hated the drains (amusing aside: I am a tough broad who can handle most things with aplomb; but the combination of surgery three days before and not eating much resulted in my nearly passing out -- onto the ground -- when I first had to empty my drains myself at home. It was just so disgusting to me. I screamed for my brother to come from the other room and he had to get me to the recliner and lean me all the way back before the blood came back to my head. Oy!).

ksusan · May 2016

I had all 4 removed at the same time, but none were draining (or had ever drained) at a high level.

grandma3X · May 2016

The nurse ended up removing both drains on Friday

Mu output had been less than 20ccs for 3 days running and I explained that it's a 5 hour round trip for me to come back just to have the second drain removed. She offered to show my husband how to do it, but after seeing the look of horror on his face, she went ahead and did it herself, lol

One thing I did notice this time is that the drain site is very sore and red this time compared to my MX in January. I'm pretty sure it's because I took the dressing off 3 days postop this time, and the drains were still in for 5 more days, whereas last time I was instructed not to remove the dressing and that the nurse would remove them at my first postop. I don't remember any soreness last time.

Blessings2011 · May 2016

Initially, after BMX, I had two drains, both of which were pulled at 2 weeks. The PS indicated that it was 2 weeks, or low drainage, whichever came first, but that the risk of infection rose greatly at the 2 week mark.

At exchange, I didn't get drains, and WISH I had. The swelling took forever to dissipate, and in the big picture, the annoyance of having a drain in became very minor when compared to the discomfort of swelling.

Ironically, later on, the biggest area of scar tissue (and pain) appeared just under my drain scars.

Grandma3x - keep an eye on the drain holes now for infection, and in the future for possible scar tissue mobilization.

Drain removal - both or one at a time?

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