HealthInfo Canterbury
Caring for your drain at home after surgery
This information is to help you care for your drain when you go home.
- Remember to pick up and carry the drain with you at all times.
- Place it in a pillowcase or bag with handles. Make sure the drain tubing is secured to your clothes as your nurse showed you.
- You may shower with your drain. Pat the drain site dry with a towel after your shower.
Daily checks
Do the following checks once a day at roughly the same time each day.
- Check that the suction is working – the picture labelled "suction" shows what it looks like when it's working.
- Put your drain bottle on a level surface.
- Mark the level of the fluid in your bottle on the white strip.
- Add the date and time when you did this.
If you're concerned about the amount draining, contact the correct department or ward for your procedure. You'll find contact details at the bottom of this page.
Issues you should seek help for
Leaking around the drain site
Check if your bottle is full and has lost suction. If it has, it will look like the picture labelled "no suction".
The drain falls out
Drains are held in place by stitches. If your drain falls out, cover the drain site with a dry dressing or clean cloth.
Signs of infection at the drain site
These are:
- redness
- heat
- swelling
- yellow discharge.
Who to contact if you have concerns about your drain
General Surgery
At any time (including weekends and public holidays):
Christchurch Hospital
Phone (03) 364‑0640
Ask the operator to be put through to the ward you were in after surgery.
People whose breast surgery was done by a plastic surgeon
From 8 am to 4.30 pm (Monday to Saturday, including public holidays):
Plastic Surgery Outpatients Department, Christchurch Hospital
Phone (03) 364‑0471
Outside these hours:
Ward 20, Christchurch Hospital
Phone (03) 378‑6679
Ask to speak to the nurse in charge for advice about any of your concerns.
People whose breast surgery was done by a general surgeon
From 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Thursday and 8 am to 12 noon Friday:
Breast nurses, Christchurch Hospital
Phone (03) 364‑1804
If you cannot contact a breast nurse and it's an urgent issue, or it's outside their working hours, contact:
Ward 20, Christchurch Hospital
Phone (03) 378‑6679
Ask to speak to the nurse in charge for advice about any of your concerns.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Endorsed by Canterbury DHB Plastic Surgery Department. Last reviewed November 2020.
SourcesReview key: HIBRC-85838
