How Many Drainage Tubes....

[Jkm7]

I've wondered and keep forgetting to ask my docs why some folks have one drainage tube at OHS and others, like me, got lucky to have four placed. My first OHS I had three. Wonder why there is such a difference. At both surgeries, I was normal body weight so I don't think size has anything to do with it.

Anyone know?
Thanks.

 

[Lily]

No idea.

Or maybe it could be related to the length of your incision?

Or surgeon's technique?

 

[nngbwh]

Good question. I was wondering that myself.

 

[Mentu]

As a rather naive fellow, I just assumed that the drains would be in the large incision. Silly me. I was a little surprised to find four more holes; two holes for the drain tubes and two holes for pacing wires. My Surgeon said some hospitals follow different protocols but that at mine they put each item in its own separate hole. My chest incision healed well in three weeks but the last drain hole didn't heal over until week six. I wonder, are four holes a status symbol or do the really beautiful people have only one?

Larry

 

[Jkm7]

I'm not sure it's a hospital protocol as I'm sure I've read here others who had their surgeries at MGH (where I had my surgeries), did not have four drains.
My second surgery was reopening of the scar from my first and is the same size incision. The first time I had three drains and the second time four.
They healed fine both times though it took one hole much longer than the others. I had some discomfort from them for a while and it started to concern but ultimately the pain healed and I almost never feel anything from them now.

 

[mauiboy]

Only One For Me

Only One For Me

I only had one big drainage tube below the chest incision. I drained 500cc of fluid the first day and by the fifth day was draining 20cc so they took the tube out. Jkm7 I don't know why you got three but may be subjective or hospital policy. Larry, I guess you Navy guys require more drainage from the hull than us flyboys...we try to be more efficient and get less scars. Thought you would get the same drainage since we both have the 23mm Magna Ease. I was pretty out of it on the first day of post op but at least they took out the breathing hose. Be healthy all!

Aloha...Eric

 

[Bina]

As a rather naive fellow, I just assumed that the drains would be in the large incision. Silly me. I was a little surprised to find four more holes; two holes for the drain tubes and two holes for pacing wires. My Surgeon said some hospitals follow different protocols but that at mine they put each item in its own separate hole. My chest incision healed well in three weeks but the last drain hole didn't heal over until week six. I wonder, are four holes a status symbol or do the really beautiful people have only one?

Larry

YES. I had only one. A big one too.

 

[Luckyguy17]

Ok, that explains it: pretty and young people get one, old fogeys like Larry and I get four...it's just not fair, we old guys get no respect (smile)
Can't be the surgeon Bina and I almost had the same one, she gets 1 and I get 4

maybe the windbags get more drain tubes. eh larry?

Gil

 

[kfay]

I had two for surgery #1 and three for surgery #2. And age nor weight have anything to do with it...I was 17 for my first and weighed all of 100lbs and was many years older and not telling how many pounds heavier for #2! Now you've peaked my curiosity, I'll call my friend who is a Dr. as well as her husband...I'll let you know!


Kim

 

[tobagotwo]

I had one large one for my fist op, and four for my second. I assumed it had to do with where they thought there might be something to drain.

Best wishes,

 

[mainframe]

One for surgery #1, four for surgery #2. I have no idea why.

 

[ARGreenMN]

One for me, with not stitches to close it... Just got back from my one month checkup w/ the surgeon. His assistant (who I actually met w/ instead of him) said mine may never look much better than it does now - a second belly button.... I'd rather have Gil's 4 holes that got some stitches...

 

[Cris N]

I had 2 drainage tubes and two holes for pacer wires. The only complaint I had (other than when they pulled the pacer wires out:eek2 was that weren't symmetrical. :rolleyes2:

 

[daveguy14]

Like a few others, I had one for the first OHS and four for the second. I believe it may be related to the fact that my first was minimally invasive, while the reop was a traditional incision.

 

[ottagal]

Interesting thread! I had two drainage tubes (no sutures) and the pacing wire(2 very tight stitches) for my OHS . I would Love to know how that is decided. I had a full sternotomy but smaller incision so don't know if that impacts the decision.
However, I have a nice raised keloid scar from the pacing wire (where they cut the stitches), but no noticeable marks where the drainage tubes were.

 

[Jkm7]

I can barefly find the scars from the first three I had (now six years ago) but can still see slight scars from the four at my second surgery. They are neat horizontal slices and the second set are only about 1/4" below the first set.

Kim..... Thanks for offering to call your friend to ask. Hopefully she'll help us out with an answer.

 

[vtbecca]

Gabe had 4 or 5 at his first one (he was 2 weeks old). He has 3 very obvious scars but I feel like there were 4 or possibly 5, 3 big and 2 tiny ones. They were in for a few days, came out one at a time. His second op (age 1 1/2) I think he only had 1 tube, and it was in less than 24 hours. I always just figured there would be multiple tubes, I was surprised to just see the one the second time. I am curious what the criteria is for the number of tubes. Gabe ped had said that the tube scars would be more obvious than the big scar and it does seem that people notice the little ones first, then see the big one!

Becca

 

[Freddie]

I had 2 drainage holes and I can still see them after 3 years and they took them out while I was ICU and about 8 hours after surgery. I think I had 2 pacer wires and I kinda sorta remember them removing them, I wouldn't know where to look if I did have markings from the wires:confused2:

 

[Debbrn]

I had 3 for both of my last surgeries. I have so many chest tube holes, pacer wires, IVs, incisions, etc. After 4 surgeries, I just don't worry about it anymore. I am alive. Thats all that matters.

Debbie

 

[Gail in Ca]

I wondered that, too, when, after my 3rd OHS, I had 4 chest tubes! Yikes, I wasn't expecting that many. I'm thinking they add one for each surgery, I don't know why! My 1st ohs, 2 tubes, for my 2nd ohs, 3 tubes, and now I have 4 tube hole scars. They are the worst, those chest tube scars, certainly look worse than the sternum. On a good note, after this 3rd ohs, I hardly coughed at all, so maybe 4 chest tubes are the way to go.
I also wondered why they don't try to use the same scars as before to cut and add the tubes.