what is a jackson pratt drain used for

Full Answer

Why would someone have a JP drain?

JP drains are often placed in wounds during surgery to prevent the collection of fluid underneath the incision site. This is a closed, air-tight drainage system which operates by self-suction. The drain(s) promote healing by keeping excess pressure off the incision and decreasing the risk of infection.

How long does a Jackson-Pratt drain stay in?

On average, JP drains can continue to drain for 1 to 5 weeks. Keep a log and bring it to the clinic for discussion so your surgical team can determine the best time to remove the drain. slide the fluid towards the bulb. hands with a clean towel.

Where does a Jackson-Pratt drain go?

About Your Jackson-Pratt Drain Your Jackson-Pratt drain has a soft plastic bulb with a stopper and a flexible tube attached to it (see Figure 1). The drainage end of the tubing (flat white part) is placed into your surgical site through a small opening near your incision. This area is called the insertion site.

How do Jackson Pratt drains work?

The bulb has a plug, or stopper, where you can empty fluids and push air out. When air is removed from the bulb (done by squeezing it), there will be a suctioning effect. This suction, or “negative pressure,” will gently draw the fluids out from your body and into the bulb.

What happens to fluid after JP drain is removed?

Answer: Fluid after drain removal Your body will naturally absorb the drainage as long as it is not excessive and decreasing in production. If the fluid continues to accumulate, then you can develop a seroma (fluid collection).

Does it hurt to have JP drains removed?

Having a drain removed usually does not hurt, but it can feel rather odd as the tubing slides out of the body. The incision is then covered with a dressing or left open to the air. Stitches usually are not needed. But it's a good idea to avoid swimming or soaking in a tub for several days.

How much fluid does a JP drain hold?

A Hemovac drain (see Figure 4.3) can hold up to 500 ml of drainage. A Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain (see Figure 4.4) is usually used for smaller amounts of drainage (25 to 50 ml). Drains are usually sutured to the skin to prevent accidental removal.

What surgery requires a drain?

Standard surgical procedures that require a drain: Chest pleural drainage. Chest surgery. Lymph node clearance procedure for malignancy.

How long does it take for a JP drain hole to heal?

How Long Does It Take for a Drain Hole to Heal? The drainage hole is about as wide as a pencil. The hole will close in a few days and fully heal in three to four weeks.

Can a nurse remove a JP drain?

Yes, a registered nurse ( especially under the employment/guidance of your plastic surgeon) can remove drains.

How do you take care of a JP drain at home?

Home careDon't sleep on the same side as the tube.Secure the tube and bag inside your clothing with a safety pin. ... Empty your drain at least twice a day. ... Change the dressing around the tube every day. ... Keep the bandage and tube site dry when you shower. ... “Stripping” the tube helps keep blood clots from blocking the tube.

How do I know if my JP drain is clogged?

The JP drain removes fluids by creating suction in the tube & will expand as it fills with fluid....When should I seek immediate care?If you have a cloudy yellow or brown drainage from the drain site.If the drainage has a bad smell or odor.If you JP drain breaks or comes out.

Can you shower with surgical drains?

If instructed by your doctor, you may shower with the drains in place. Attach them to an old belt or cloth strap to limit the amount of pulling on the skin and to avoid the risk of pulling the drain out accidentally. The drain will be removed in the office at your doctor's discretion.

How much does a Jackson-Pratt drain hold?

A Hemovac drain (see Figure 4.3) can hold up to 500 ml of drainage. A Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain (see Figure 4.4) is usually used for smaller amounts of drainage (25 to 50 ml). Drains are usually sutured to the skin to prevent accidental removal.

What kind of drainage indicates infection?

Purulent drainage is a sign of infection. It's a white, yellow, or brown fluid and might be slightly thick in texture. It's made up of white blood cells trying to fight the infection, plus the residue from any bacteria pushed out of the wound.

Can a CNA empty a JP drain?

The Nevada State Board of Nursing finds that an RN may choose to assign the emptying, measuring, and recording output from a hemovac and/or a Jackson-Pratt surgical drain to a CNA who has documented training and competency to perform the task.

What Is A Jackson-Pratt Drain and How Does It Work?

1. A Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain is used to remove fluids that build up in an area of your body after surgery. The JP drain is a bulb-shaped device co...

How Do I Change The Bandage Around My Jackson-Pratt Drain?

If you have a bandage, change it once a day. You may need to change your bandage more than once a day if it gets completely wet. 1. Wash your hands...

How Do I Empty The Jackson-Pratt Drain?

Empty the bulb when it is half full or every 8 to 12 hours. 1. Wash your hands with soap and water. 2. Remove the plug from the bulb. 3. Pour the f...

What Should I Do If The Tubing Becomes Clogged?

Use the following steps to clear your Jackson-Pratt tubing: 1. Hold the tubing between your thumb and first finger at the place closest to your ski...

When Will My Jackson-Pratt Drain Be removed?

The amount of fluid that you drain will decrease as your wound heals. The JP drain usually is removed when less than 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons)...

What Are The Risks of Having A Jackson-Pratt Drain?

The JP drain site may be painful. You may have trouble lying on the side with your JP drain. Your JP drain site may leak. The JP drain may be pulle...

When Should I Seek Immediate Care?

1. Your JP drain breaks or comes out. 2. You have cloudy yellow or brown drainage from your JP drain site, or the drainage smells bad.

When Should I Contact My Healthcare Provider?

1. You drain less than 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) in 24 hours. This may mean your drain can be removed. 2. You suddenly stop draining fluid or...

How to clear Jackson Pratt tubing?

Use the following steps to clear your Jackson-Pratt tubing: Hold the tubing between your thumb and first finger at the place closest to your skin. This hand will prevent the tube from being pulled out of your skin. Use your other thumb and first finger to slide the clog down the tubing toward the bulb.

How to clean a bulb with rubbing alcohol?

Remove the plug from the bulb. Pour the fluid into a measuring cup. Clean the plug with an alcohol swab or a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Squeeze the bulb flat and put the plug back in. The bulb should stay flat until it starts to fill with fluid again. Measure the amount of fluid you pour out.

How long does it take for a JP drain to be removed?

The JP drain usually is removed when less than 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) is collected in 24 hours. Ask your healthcare provider when and how your JP drain will be removed.

How to clean a JP drain?

Use soap and water or saline (salt water) solution to clean your JP drain site. Dip a cotton swab or gauze pad in the solution and gently clean your skin. Pat the area dry. Place a new bandage on your JP drain site and secure it to your skin with medical tape. Wash your hands.

How does a JP drain work?

You may have a stitch to hold the tube in place. The JP drain removes fluids by creating suction in the tube. The bulb is squeezed flat and connected to the tube that sticks out of your body. The bulb expands as it fills with fluid.

What is a JP drain?

The JP drain is a bulb-shaped device connected to a tube. One end of the tube is placed inside you during surgery. The other end comes out through a small cut in your skin. The bulb is connected to this end. You may have a stitch to hold the tube in place. The JP drain removes fluids by creating suction in the tube.

Can you refuse treatment?

You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

How does a flexible drain bulb work?

The flexible bulb has a plug that can be opened to pour off collected fluid. Each time fluid is removed, the patient, caregiver or healthcare provider squeezes the air out of the bulb and replaces the plug before releasing the bulb. The resulting vacuum creates suction in the drainage tubing, which gradually draws fluid from the surgical site into the bulb. The bulb may be repeatedly opened to remove the collected fluid and squeezed again to restore suction. It is best to empty drains before they are more than half full to avoid the discomfort of the weight of the drain pulling on the internal tubing.

Why do we drain?

The purpose of a drain is to prevent fluid (blood or other) build-up in a closed ("dead") space, which may cause either disruption of the wound and the healing process or become an infected abscess, with either scenario possibly requiring a formal drainage/repair procedure (and possibly another trip to the operating room). The drain is also used to evacuate an internal abscess before surgery when an infection already exists. Clots and other solid matter in the drainage fluid may occlude the tubing, preventing the device from draining properly.

What is a JP drain?

A Jackson-Pratt drain (also called a JP drain) is a closed-suction medical device that is commonly used as a post-operative drain for collecting bodily fluids from surgical sites. The device consists of an internal drain connected to a grenade-shaped bulb or circular cylinder via plastic tubing.

Can a Jackson Pratt drain be clogged?

Any closed suction drain system, like the Jackson-Pratt, can become clogged with fibrin or clot. This results in loss of drain patency and thus fluid, blood or infected material can build up in the wound resulting in a wound hematoma and or abscess.

Who invented the brain drain?

The Jackson-Pratt Drain (informally referred to as the "brain drain") was named after its inventors Drs. Fredrick E. Jackson (Chief, Department of Neurosurgical Surgery, Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, CA) and Richard A. Pratt (Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton, CA). First publications mentioning this device appeared in 1971 - 1972.

How to clean a drain with soapy water?

Look for any new redness, swelling, bad odor, or pus on the skin around the drain. Use a cotton swab dipped in the soapy water to clean the skin around the drain. Do this 3 or 4 times, using a new swab each time. Take off the first pair of gloves and throw them in the trash bag. Put on the second pair of gloves.

What is the name of the fluid that drains from a Jackson-Pratt drain?

This drainage is called serosanguineous fluid (which is blood and serous fluid mixed together).

What is Jackson Pratt suction drain?

A Jackson-Pratt closed suction drain is used to remove fluids that build up in areas of your body after surgery or when you have an infection. The benefits of a closed system drain are that it decreases the risk for infection and allows you to measure how much drainage the wound is draining.

How to keep Jackson Pratt drain tube clean?

If the Jackson-Pratt drain bulb falls off, clamp the tube using a plastic clamp. Tape gauze to the end of the tube to keep it clean. Then call your health-care provider. If you have problems breathing, call your local emergency services number for an ambulance or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

What is a JP drain?

Jackson-Pratt drain also called a JP drain, which is a closed-suction drain that is commonly used as a post-operative drain for collecting bodily fluids from surgical sites. The Jackson-Pratt drain pulls this fluid (by suction) into a bulb. The bulb can then be emptied and the fluid inside measured.

Why milk a Jackson Pratt drain?

The purpose of milking a Jackson-Pratt drain is to prevent clot formation in the tubing. If a clot forms in the tubing you may notice dark, stringy debris in the tubing, and the bulb suction will not work. Again, always refer to your hospital protocol for how frequent you should milk a Jackson-Pratt drain.

Where is the rubber tube placed?

One end of the rubber tube is placed in the area of your body where fluid may build up . The other end comes out through a small incision (cut). A squeeze bulb is attached to this outer end. Ask your health care provider when you may take a shower while you have Jackson-Pratt drain.

How does a JP drain work?

A small incision, or cut, is made in the skin for the tube to enter. Often the skin and tube are sutured (stitched) together to ensure the JP drain does not move from under the skin. At the end of the tube is a small squeeze bulb. Bodily fluids pass through the tube into the bulb. The bulb has a plug, or stopper, where you can empty fluids and push air out.

When should I call my provider?

If you or a caretaker have any questions about caring for your drain while at home, be sure to call your provider . Some reasons you should call your care team right away are:

What does it mean when a tubing leaks?

New or more leaking from the area around the tubing, where it enters your body. The tubing is pulled and comes out (this is rare since the tubing is stitched into your skin). The amount of drainage suddenly decreases or stops. The fluids that drain are cloudy or have a bad smell.

What is the effect of a suction bulb?

The bulb has a plug, or stopper, where you can empty fluids and push air out. When air is removed from the bulb (done by squeezing it), there will be a suctioning effect. This suction, or “negative pressure,” will gently draw the fluids out from your body and into the bulb.

Why do surgeons put drains under skin?

Some surgeries may require your surgeon to place a drain under your skin. This device is used to drain bodily fluids that might collect under or near the incision (where the surgeon cut your skin). A drain helps these fluids leave the body. Removing these fluids helps the wound heal, can prevent infection, and can decrease the amount ...

How to clear tubing from draining into bulb?

Sometimes the fluid that goes into the tubing can have stringy pieces that block the tube from draining into the bulb. Your provider may teach you how to “strip” or “milk” the tubing. Stripping/milking the tube is a way to gently massage the tubing to clear any blockages. Ask your provider if and how you should do this.

Why do you need to squeeze the air out of a light bulb?

It is important to squeeze the air out of the bulb each time you empty it so that the suction, or negative pressure, can keep pulling the fluid out of your body.

What is the purpose of a Jackson Pratt drain?

After surgery, there is continued oozing and shedding of cells and bodily fluids at the surgical site. The Jackson Pratt drain removes fluid and this removal of fluid speeds healing.

How does the drain work?

Your drain will automatically suction fluid out when the bulb is compressed. The bulb has to be compressed very well and the drain tab has to be closed in order for the suction to work. When the bulb can maintain its compressed shape, it is a sign that suction is in effect.

How do you empty the drain?

Make sure your hands are thoroughly washed with soap and water before you empty the drain. The drain can be emptied by opening the tab. You will be given a measuring cup—empty the fluid into this. Record the amount of fluid and discard the fluid in the toilet. Please record the time and amount of fluid. After you empty, compress the bulb (as flat as you can) and replace the tab to re-establish the suction. The color of the drainage changes from red to a yellow over time. There may be red stringy material in the drainage. These are not blood clots—DO NOT WORRY! This material does, however, tend to block the tubing. You may need to "milk" or “strip” the tubing. To do this, use either alcohol wipes (wrap the wipe around the tubing) or put lotion on your fingertips (to facilitate a smoother glide on the tubing) and pinch and pull gently on the tubing (flattening the tube). This will move the stingy material down the tube and prevent clots from forming.

How to flatten tubing?

You may need to "milk" or “strip” the tubing. To do this, use either alcohol wipes (wrap the wipe around the tubing) or put lotion on your fingertips ( to facilitate a smoother glide on the tubing) and pinch and pull gently on the tubing ( flattening the tube).

What color is a drainage?

The color of the drainage changes from red to a yellow over time. There may be red stringy material in the drainage. These are not blood clots—DO NOT WORRY! This material does, however, tend to block the tubing. You may need to "milk" or “strip” the tubing.

Can a drain be removed after surgery?

The drain should remain in place until your doctor tells you it is okay to be removed. Sometimes, after the drain is removed, the fluid may re-accumulate and swell at the surgical site. This fluid is called seroma. If it should occur, this is not an emergency; however, call and inform your coordinator.

What are the downsides of drains?

The only downside of a drain is a small amount of discomfort as it is being removed.

Can JP drains be used on patients?

I think JP drains can be a very useful thing to use. I know of robotic experts that still use them on every patient. If there are significant urine leaks, they are critical.

What does penrose do to a wound?

penrose acts like a straw to pull fluids out of the wound and drain outside the wound

Why is the drain clipped?

as healing progressess the drain may be slowly pulled out and clipped to promote healing in the deepest areas of the wound

What is a JP drain?

The JP drain is a bulb shaped device connected to a tube. One end of the tube is inside the incision. The other end comes through a small cut in the skin. The bulb of the JP drain is connected to this end.

Where is the rubber tube placed in a wound?

flexible rubber tube/drain that is placed inside the site of the surgery/wound but exits away from the incision site or the incision line

Can you open a 1/2 way cap?

1/2 way expanded you can open the cap squeeze it again and then have it expand again

Overview

Care and maintenance

Common uses

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