General guidelines

• Don’t sleep on the same side as the tube.

• Secure the tube and bag inside your clothing. This will prevent the tube from being pulled out.

• Take a sponge bath to prevent getting your bandage and tube site wet, unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise.

• Ask your provider when you can take a shower or bathe.

• Ask your provider about the best way to keep the site dry when bathing or showering.

Empty the drain

Empty your drain at least twice a day. Empty it more often if needed.

• Wash your hands with plain soap and clean, running water for at least 20 seconds. If someone is helping you, have that person wear clean, non-sterile gloves after washing their hands.

• Lift the stopper. Don't touch the open port. The drain will expand.

• Turn the drain upside down.

• Drain the fluid into a measuring cup.

• Record the amount of fluid each time you empty the drain. Total the amount daily. Share this information with your healthcare provider at your next visit.

• Place the empty drain on a hard surface and press down until it's flat.

• Close the cork-stopper device.

• Wash your hands again.

Open the drain.

Measure the fluid.

Press down drain and close stopper.

Change the dressing

Change the dressing around the tube every day.

• Wash your hands with plain soap and clean, running water for at least 20 seconds.

• Remove the old bandage.

• Wash your hands again.

• Wet a cotton swab and clean around the incision and tube site. Use normal saline solution (salt and water).

• Put a new bandage on the incision and tube site. Make the bandage large enough to cover the whole incision area.

• Tape the bandage in place.

• Wash your hands again.

Follow-up

Make a follow-up appointment as directed.

When to call your healthcare provider

Call your provider right away if you have any of these:

• Pain, swelling, or fluid around the tube

• Redness or warmth around the incision or fluid draining from the incision

• Nausea and vomiting

• Fever above 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher, or as advised by your provider

• Chills

• An incision that does not heal or stitches that become infected or loose

• A tube that falls out. Tell your provider right away.

• A foul smell from the incision site

• Drainage that changes from light pink to dark red

• An increase in the amount of drainage after an initial decrease