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D/c LD

Last modified by Hussein Abdallah on 2025/04/20 02:57

 How to remove Lumbar Drains 

Success

🚨Do not take this task lightly. You can easily tear a drain on the way out and leave someone with an intrathecal tubing requiring OR. 

MATERIALSPROCEDURE

Materials: 

  • sterile gloves
  • 2 small chloroprep prep sticks
  • Nylon 3-0s or biosyns (have ready, only open if no buddy stich)
  • Straight kelly
  • Suture removal kit
ErrorDo a mini time-out with yourself. Confirm the patient, room #, and location of drain you're removing!  

While Unsterile

1. Remove tegaderms and all pressure dressings over drain

2. Chloroprep the area where drain is coming out 

Sterile (wear your gloves)

3. cut out all securing sutures

4. SLOWLY pull out the drain.

It should pull out very easily.

Do NOT GO FAST, that is how you shear the tubing against some bony structure or something. 

Error

1) DO NOT TUG AGAINST RESISTANCE - this is how the drain snaps into two pieces!
2) If you are getting serious resistance you need to stop, cover the area with a primapore, and call your senior . Brute force is not the answer. 

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Maneuvers your senior may try include bending patient's knees, repositioning, etc. 

5. Tie down buddy stitch or throw in a figure of 8 or purse-string around site. 

If you leave a non-absorbable stitch, you need to make sure this is made a box on TRAC / placed into depart so it's not forgotten.