What's a drain?

I have been reading about everyone getting there drain removed, and I am clueless. What is a drain? I am 1 month post op and I still do not know what a drain is and even if I had one. Will some one be kind enough to tell me about this.

a surgical drain is a piece of tubing inserted into your incision to drain excess fluid/ drainage from your surgical site...most have a collapsible bulb on the end that you empty periodically...if you had one, you would have known..they are not always used.

My doc said the JP Drain is used to help them measure how much excess fluids you have at the surgical site. It is an easy way for them to see if you have a leak in your pouch as well so they can prevent septic shock. Your body does absorb the fluids if the drain isn't used, it just takes a little longer. The drain just gets rid of it right away. They are used a lot in plastic surgery as well. Kell