Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

Tummy tuck surgery is the most conservative of the medical specialties. Techniques and approaches to surgical treatment, the rules of surgery are verified for years, and that any changes have become new rules, it takes a long time. So it is with a tummy tuck drains.

Drainage systems are used for decades, and already impossible to imagine surgery without them. As is well known the tummy tuck drains installed to evacuate the contents of the wound. They are divided on the basis of the two main groups: passive and active. The first work by the natural pressure of the vented cavity, whether the abdominal cavity or pleural (although in  latter case a positive pressure is only during expiration) or by gravity. In the second case a pressure is created artificially.

In many cases, installation of drains is not justified, and serves more as an insurance  against the effects of abdominoplasty. And in many cases it is not only useless, but harmful, and causes complications such as re-infection, fistula formation after surgery and bedsores. It should also be noted that while there are no standards of drainage.

Now Europe professes the principle of “surgery with a quick recovery,” based on the reduction of unnecessary interference with a reduced risk of infection and the early discharge of patients. Following this principle, the drains are installed only in extreme cases. In the United States are very frequent so-called routine drains by setting them, surgeons adhere to a conservative rules.

However, drainage conceals many dangers and opportunities for errors. Drains is not only a conductor inside-outside, but also from the outside-in. Mixed infection and superinfection often carried out with the help of it. With too large caliber of drainage are created conditions for the development of postoperative ventral hernias.

For what tummy tuck drain are needed

Tummy tuck drainage – is the creation of a free unhindered outflow of blood, wound secretion and pus from the wound by installing drain and applying an appropriate dressing. As a result, the conditions for rapid wound cleansing and healing it.

For therapeutic purposes, drains installed to evacuate the pus, intra-abdominal fluid, blood, bile, or if you can not remove, to control the source of infection. As a preventive measure to prevent re-infection and other complications. To drain the blood and ichor from the space under the skin establish drainage in the groin area.

It is safe to say that it is necessary to strive for personalized medicine, which involves an individual approach to each patient and case.

For effective drain is important character of drainage, its location and size of the maintenance of the drainage system in good repair. Time of drainage is very different. It mainly depends on the forthcoming task for resolution. When drain is introduced for outflow of blood and wound secretion, it can be removed after 48 hours. In cases where the expected festering of wound a drainage tube has to be removed after 6 -7 days.

Modern postoperative tummy tuck drains

The tendency of modern plastic surgery is aimed at the use of closed and unidirectional drains, because it helps to avoid many adverse effects, such as reverse throw liquid into the wound and infection. But passive open drains continue to be used due to their simplicity and cheapness. They represent a tube deduced in a jar.

They are used for small surgical operations, major abdominal surgery, because the pressure gradient of the abdominal cavity higher than atmospheric. Should be noted that drainage should be removed as soon as possible, as there is in regular contact with the external environment, thereby eventually increasing the likelihood of infection.

For drains are used: rubber tubes of different caliber, strips of gauze, rubber strip. There are modern materials of which make plastic and pvc tubes.

Types of drains after surgery

Very popular conditionally closed drainage systems. In this case the tube deduced in a plastic bag. The problem of probability of the reverse throw not  solved, but the risk of infection is lower because the contact with the external environment is carried out only during the changing of the bag.

Using passive closed system allows to avoid any negative consequences. It has a non-return valve and drain tap. This drain can be installed for a long time. Applied for large wound surfaces.

Passive evacuation is carried out by abdominal pressure. Also, there exist open drains – drains functioning by gravity to the lowest point, and capillary drainage.

In the first case, the drainage tubes are installed in the lowest (in the supine position) portion of the purulent center. At the capillary drainage rely on absorption, like the principle of the device of wick in kerosene lamp.

For this purpose used gauze napkin. Closed drainage systems are used for drainage hermetically sealed purulent cavities.

There is an active suction of content purulent cavity by means of special devices (mechanical in the form of an accordion or electric pumps). As a result, the negative pressure leads to removal of pus.

Active drainage system

Active drainage systems are subdivided into conditionally closed and closed. In active conditionally closed, as in the passive open and conditionally closed have the same drawbacks. Pressure is created artificially, either by “shape memory”, ie with plastic or rubber pears, bellows, or in large stationary systems, due to low pressure air and vacuum. Plus of latest in the ability to control the degree of dilution and removal of liquids and air, and because they are often used for large volumes of discharge of mixed species, both liquid and gaseous.

Locked active system is more advanced. Chance of reverse throw liquid is excluded, as in this drainage has non-return valve. The risk of infection is also reduced to zero, due to the absence of reverse throw and contact with the external environment (evacuated liquid is removed via the drain valve). The only drawback is the lack of adjustment of vacuum, as in the stationary conditionally closed systems. But most of all deficiencies in the drainage system based on the principle of “shape memory”. Its scope is limited by the fact that it works only when a complete seal wounds. In addition, the amount of liquids that can be deduced without recharging, is very small.