Jackson Pratt Drain

Met with my surgeon last week and am waiting for insurance approval, but have met all insurance requirements.  However, he said that I would have a "Jackson Pratt Drain" for approximately a week after surgery and then it would be removed. 

I was curious and googled it and didn't realize that I would have to do some maintenence with it until it is removed.  Has anyone had this type of drain and was the care of it a problem? 

I had one, but they pulled it before I left the hospital. The only maintence that was done to it was by the nurses who emptied it a few times a day. It was in the lower left quadrant of my abdomen... It didnt hurt of bother me when it was in. The only complaint I have is that when they pulled it, it felt soooo weird and uncomfortable! It felt like it was coiled under my ribs. It didnt hurt, just felt funny.

Most all of us did.  Some had it removed before leaving the hospital, but usually a week is a standard time.  I had mine for 8 days--would have been 9, but I was granted an "early removal"!  J/k...it stopped draining then started again, so the Dr. decided it was time to come out.
The only "maintanence" is that you have to empty it out (I had to record the amount I emptied) once or twice a day.  It's as easy as squeezing a lemon and possibly change the bandage around the drain site--hopefully, the nurses will show you how to do that before you leave the hospital.  It doesn't hurt; it is just a little cumbersome.  Getting it removed is not pleasant, but it only lasts about 20 seconds.  There are some that don't have any pain with removal; I was not that lucky!  But again, it was short lived.
Good luck with everything,
Jenn

Thanks for your responses. It really helps me to get a feel for how things work when I learn from others who have gone before me.

I had mine in from Monday thru Friday.  When I went in on Friday, the Dr raised my shirt to look at it and snatched it out before I even realized it.  Did not hurt, just a weird sensation.  I think I only had to empty it once or twice.

I had one for a week and it was just a nuisance and kind of gross. It didn't hurt.  When they pulled the tube out I couldn't believe how long it was.  I agree it just felt weird.  My daughter helped me with it and she almost passed out the first time she emptied it.  I took care of it myself after that. :)

My surgery was 10 days ago and I didn't have one.

Oh yeah I had one. And its a good thing I did lol..because the liquid that comes out looks like red jelly like coolaide...definitely glad it was out of me lol. The nurses will change it for you..if you've ever cleaned out a childs nose with one of those suction thingy..you know how to work the drain. When its empty..the ppressure is what pulls the nasty gunk out of you.

My roomate got hers out the day we were leaving the hospital ( as did I) . She took it like a champ and didn't make a sound..so I thought..oh this wont be so bad. WRONG LOL. It felt like a thick worm was being pulled out of my body..accompanied with red hot pain..but it was short lived..20-30 seconds but whew wee. I've had long stitches pulled out that werent as bad as that. But alas..it was short lived and I was thankful I had it. It was stitched into the littlest incision in my upper right abdomen

FYI...pack a safety pin so you can pin it up to your gown..I let it hang bc I didn't know any better...bad idea lol

 Just one of those little gross things. I had one for 3 days after surgery. Felt so freaky coming out and gross. But it was out in 20 seconds.

My single largest complaint is that they didn't stitch it up where they took it out. They let that one heal naturally. WTF? I wanted it stitched so it would be a much tinier scar. Oh well. I use butterfly bandages to hold it closed right now and together so it heals closed much closer.