BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated clamping of a suction drainage system will result in less external blood loss, blood transfusion and no increase in complications compared to a routine continuous suction drainage system. This was a randomized prospective study on patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. METHODS Group A patients' drains were left clamp...

BACKGROUND This study assessed the impact of closed suction drains and evaluated whether the intraoperative use of a fibrin sealant decreased time to drain removal and wound complications in melanoma patients undergoing inguino-femoral lymph node dissection. METHODS A pilot study (n = 18) assessed the impact of a closed suction drain following inguino-femoral lymph node dissection. A single-i...

We propose a safe, simple, and novel method to harvest fat using a standard liposuction cannula and a Redivac or alternative closed-suction drain. The authors have used this technique for both 'dry' and 'wet' liposuction. This technique is both easy to perform and cost-effective whilst providing both a silent and relatively atraumatic fat harvest. The lower negative pressure compared with tradi...

INTRODUCTION Urine leakage following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) is a possible complication that may herald chronic urine incontinence. Intraoperative measures aiming to prevent this is not standardised. AIM Presentation of experience with active suction of the prevesical space in managing postoperative urine leakage. MATERIAL AND METHODS At the Department of Urology, where lap...

BACKGROUND The morbidity of pancreatic resection remains high, with pancreatic fistula being the most common cause. The important question is whether any postoperative treatment adjustment may prevent the development of clinically significant postoperative pancreatic fistulae. Recent studies have shown that intraabdominal drains and manipulation using them are of great importance. Although auth...

Background and Objectives: Seroma, a subcutaneous collection of serous fluid, is the most common morbidity after modified radical mastectomy. Closed suction drains are used for drainage of serous fluid after MRM to obliterate the space beneath skin flaps and thus to decrease seroma formation. Amongst various factors that influence the amount of postoperative drainage, the negative suction press...

Suction drains are commonly used in orthopedic elective and trauma surgery; however, drain tube removal causes pain, discomfort, and anxiety. A method of drain tube removal is described in patients who underwent total hip replacement and in adolescents who underwent lower extremity surgery. Ten milliliters of lidocaine was injected through the skin wound around the drain tube. The efficiency of...

BACKGROUND Thoracic surgical patients have chest drains inserted to enable re-expansion of lungs, to clear contents from the pleural cavity which sometimes require negative suction. Suction impedes mobility, may have variable suction delivery and increases risk of infection. Assessment of air-leak in conventional drains is not scientific and is subjective. Thopaz chest drain system is a portabl...