Drainage Tube Questions

vlcarr · 09-30-2009, 04:56 PM

Good evening everyone,

I had a mastectomy and lymph node removal last Thursday. I have 2 drainage tubes and one has been under 30cc for 2 days in a row which means it can be removed. However, I have some swelling in my armpit (toward the front) and I have some purplish looking streaks on the scar where my breast was. I called the dr today and they said it's a little early for them to come out and said the swelling could indicate a blockage and to strip the tubes 3 or 4 times a day and call them back tomorrow. I'm not running a fever. The spot with the swelling is extremely tender (not that the rest isn't!).

I was hoping someone could tell me if they had this problem, what is was and the outcome.

I've been doing everything they told me to do to avoid lymphedema and I don't have any swelling in my arm or hand.

Thanks so much for any information you can provide!

Chelee · 09-30-2009, 05:27 PM

I do know you don't want to have those drain tubes removed too soon. While it's true they say when it's under 30 cc's they can be removed. But in one wks time that's pretty quick to have them out? I'm in the world record book for having drain tubes in longer then anyone else. Even after they were finally removed I ended up with a hugh seroma that is still there. (Very uncomfortablel!) It was drained a few times but it came back anyway. As a last resort they said they could do surgery and go back in and place the drain tube back in there. (I didn't want to do that)

I just wanted you to know it can turn into a nightmare if you remove those drains too soon. Plus I had days were the amount that drained was low...then a few days later it would go back up. Those tubes do get blocked...you can kind of pull on them...stretch them and it will unblock them. They are very annoying to have it but I wouldn't have them out until your breast surgeon says it's ok. And the bruising and purplish streaks are normal. I was pretty sore in that area for a while but it will get better soon. That's alot of trauma to your chest. You've been through alot & your doing all the right things. Hang in there it all sounds normal to me. If you get too concerned about anything...just go in and see your surgeon for peace of mind.

Chelee

DianneS · 09-30-2009, 07:23 PM

vlcarr,

Ouch.

I had double mastectomies Sept. 08 and had my little "Gucchi" bags hanging from both sides for at least a week. What do the docs mean by 'strip' the tubes 3-4 x a day? I do know it's important to keep those little plastic vacuum containers tightly closed for the suction to work right. Mine would occasionally pop open so I was checking all the time to make sure the tops were on good. When dumping the contents make sure you keep everything sterile. I would wipe the top(s) of the containers with an alcohol swab before I closed them. Otherwise you sound like you're healing as you should. Do you still have bandaid strips on the incisions? I kept mine on until I had the staples out, and also changed the strips daily & gently dried the surgery area after a shower. They said no baths allowed. Also, no one told me that when they take those tubes out it can be a little tender....actually it hurt a bit. They were longer than I thought. Hope you are taking it easy...

Wishing you a fast recovery!
Dianne

09-30-2009, 07:37 PM

the draining tubes are the worst thing about the surgery, in some ways, because they pull on you and are quite frankly disgusting. And cause a lot of discomfort (to the point you want to yank them out). I agree at least a week with them (as others have said), and make sure the suction cups on them are pulling on the incision sites. Assume you are still on antibiotics - but if the puffiness doesn't go down in a couple of days, I would see the surgeon. Sometimes they are not placed right or they move and aren't draining properly.

Isn't modern medicine wonderful? When you go through this you begin to think we're not that far from medieval times - surgery, drainage tubes and poisoning.

Give it a day or two and if no improvement, go in.

BonnieR · 09-30-2009, 08:40 PM

Like Chelee, I developed a seroma following surgery. I think it is not uncommon after mastectomy. It had to be aspirated with a needle. Twice. Which did not hurt, by the way.
Keep the faith.

vlcarr · 09-30-2009, 08:50 PM

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I'll call the surgeon tomorrow and go from there. I was concerned about one of them coming out because of the obvious swelling under my arm.

Stripping them means squeezing the tubes upward toward the bulb to get all the crud out. I've been doing that twice a day as instructed but started increasing that today after talking to the nurse.

And yes, the swollen area is so, so tender along with the area where the tubes go in my side. If one of them has to stay I may as well leave both of them in--at this point one or two doesn't make much difference!

They are a pain in the butt as you all know. I'm not on antibiotics and was not put on them after surgery. Going to ask for more pain meds as I've gone through what they gave me.

I do have the band aid strips on and change that dressing once a day and clean with peroxide per the dr instructions and drying after shower. They said I could get everything wet except for the area where the tubes come out.

I don't have stitches or staples except where the tubes go in. The other areas they used steri strips.

I laughed about the medieval times--that is exactly what this is like-lol!

Thanks again. This is the best site ever and especially for someone like me who is just beginning this journey. You are all wonderful and brave ladies!

09-30-2009, 09:19 PM

I didn't want to raise flags earlier, but I had multiple seromas. Over and under the surgery site.

I had tissue expander done at mastectomy, turned out to be infection under and over the tissue expander site.

I think the doctors are not as competent as they lead you to believe.

Multiple emergency room visits, multiple surgeries to fix stupid things, if you are having a problem early, get it checked. And maybe see another doctor.

DianneS · 09-30-2009, 09:24 PM

Peroxide?! I was always told never to put peroxide on deep or puncture wounds. Peroxide can cause tissue to not heal well. As my doctor put it 'it can eat at the skin'. That is what I was told where I live. I wish docs would have a consensus on these things. What my doc said was to shower like usual but don't soap up that area and don't let the water hit it directly. Pat dry. I didn't need antibiotics either and it healed very quickly. Staples came out in 7 days and that sure felt good!

For pain I used Tylenol extra strength at home but had some good stuff in hosp for the 4 days I was in. I hope you find something that works so you can get some rest.

Steri strips - that's the word I was searching for

Had to change those daily as well.

If you don't have stitches or staples how are they holding the incision together? I had a stitch or two where the tubes went in as well, and a nice (not) dimple in my side from those tubes.

Wearing a camisole especially made for post mastecomy helped me too. You've probably got one. They're great for holding the suction cups and hiding the tubing, plus they have foob(s) so I could go outside and not feel selfconscious about being flatchested.

Keep us posted on how you're doing!
Dianne

vlcarr · 10-01-2009, 10:54 AM

Yes, I do have the camisoles and the foobs. I've been wearing loose tops with front buttons so don't wear the camisole unless I have to. Yes, I was told to dip a Q-tip in peroxide and clean around the area where the tubes come out?

I may have stitches but don't think so. I think they just used the strips to seal the incision although there could be stitches on the inside the just dissolve over time. The only real stitches I have are the ones where the tubes come out of my side.

I've left a message with the drs office to call me back today so we can discuss. I'm now having pain down to my elbow and where the swelling is it's extremely sore.

I was doing so well--not sure what happened in the past few days. It's very discouraging.........

BonnieR · 10-01-2009, 11:39 AM

I am concerned about the pain and swelling. I hope you stress this to the dr and get seen soon.
But don't be discouraged. Stuff like this happens. The important thing is to stay on top of it before it develops into something. Keep the faith.

DianneS · 10-02-2009, 12:43 PM

vlcarr,

hope you get some reassuring news soon. please keep us posted,
Dianne

WolverineFan · 10-03-2009, 11:30 AM

Hi,

I had problems with drainage and as a result, had my drain tube in for five weeks. While messing with it was miserable, my doctor was insistent not to take it out until I had 5 days under 40 cc's. He indicated to me that if they are taken out too soon, it could be more problematic. I had swelling, but no purple streaks. However, when the drain tube was finally removed, I had no problems at all, so I think I would be as patient as possible with those stinking things. Good luck.

Hayley

bejuce · 10-03-2009, 12:40 PM

Looks like everyone's experiences are different. I had 4 drains put in for my bilateral mastectomy with axillary node dissection on the right side. Two of the drains came out in a week or so and the last two took 28 days. I was pretty active with my kids after the surgery and had a lot of fluid. My surgeon said that waiting is better to avoid problems later. It was tough not to shower for so long. I started radiation a couple of days after my drains were removed and so far so good. The drains were the worst part of the surgery. You will feel much better once they are out. Good luck!!