Drain Question
On November 19, 2009 at 5:02 PM Pacific Time, DrL wrote:
Thoughts and opinions vary on this. I am to the point where I use 2 drains for an LBL, and they all come out no matter the drainage by 10 days, max 2 weeks. I keep an ultrasound in the office and have learned a lot about how the body handles fluid collections. The 20cc thing is what I use too, but it is an irrlevant and basically useless number.
I think the drain may sometimes "sit" right on top of a lymphatic vessel and drain like a waterfall. Besides, most of my patients wont tolerate them past 2 weeks !
On November 20, 2009 at 12:30 AM Pacific Time, Ica wrote:
On November 19, 2009 at 5:02 PM Pacific Time, DrL wrote:
Thoughts and opinions vary on this. I am to the point where I use 2 drains for an LBL, and they all come out no matter the drainage by 10 days, max 2 weeks. I keep an ultrasound in the office and have learned a lot about how the body handles fluid collections. The 20cc thing is what I use too, but it is an irrlevant and basically useless number.
I think the drain may sometimes "sit" right on top of a lymphatic vessel and drain like a waterfall. Besides, most of my patients wont tolerate them past 2 weeks !
I dont have an answer for you... I am at the same place as you though (16 days post op, 60 ccs a day sometimes more sometimes less). I cant wear anything other than this damn binder until I get the drain out because it pulls and hurts if I try to wear compression undies over the drain.
This was a great post, interesting to see how surgeons opinion differ about the drains too. You are not alone out there. Some day we'll get rid of these darn things...
Revision Band to Sleeve scheduled 10/29
Enjoy the drains. I had four and they all came out last week - one was not ready to come out but it had started coming out by itself so he took it out. Then today, I had to have some fluid aspirated - not fun, I'm not sure what you can do to speed up the absorption of the fluid or to not have that fluid accumulate, but if someone else knows please tell me! I don't want to go through that again.
L.
PS. It really wasn't that big a deal, I was just really nervous and get weak at the knees even now just thinking about it.
L.
PS. It really wasn't that big a deal, I was just really nervous and get weak at the knees even now just thinking about it.
What a difference between docs and procedures.. I had abdomnioplasty (fleur) a week ago with a massive hernia repair. I had only 2 drains in. There was only scant drainage after day 2 and I had them pulled on day 3..
Now reading this I'm worried I'm going to get fluid pockets.:) My surgeon told me I could have had up to 4 drains but he was very impressed that I wasn't "an OR bleeder" and based on my low drainage wouldn't need to wear 'em home..
'Course I wouldn't have minded if he had left a line in for pain meds.. :( I'm finding this post op time much more painful and difficult to manage than my original WLS!
-Allie
Now reading this I'm worried I'm going to get fluid pockets.:) My surgeon told me I could have had up to 4 drains but he was very impressed that I wasn't "an OR bleeder" and based on my low drainage wouldn't need to wear 'em home..
'Course I wouldn't have minded if he had left a line in for pain meds.. :( I'm finding this post op time much more painful and difficult to manage than my original WLS!
-Allie
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