External drain

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  • January 3, 2011 at 9:30 pm #46120
    gavin
    Moderator

    Hi Andie,

    Not the start to the new year that you and your dad were hoping for, but stay positive. Hopefully you will find out more from the DN tomorrow, and if you have any bridges that need to be crossed then deal with them as they come up.

    My best wishes to you and your dad,

    Gavin

    January 3, 2011 at 9:18 pm #46119
    32coupe
    Spectator

    Hi Andie,
    When I had a tube it was exchanged every 6-8 weeks like Betsy and I flushed it daily to keep it clear. The procedure took an hour or so and rarely required hospitalization afterward. Hope there is a good solution for your Dad.

    God Bless,
    bob

    January 3, 2011 at 8:02 pm #46118
    betsy
    Spectator

    I get my tubes changed about every 6 weeks. I think flushing the drains will help.

    Betsy

    January 3, 2011 at 5:26 pm #46117
    andie
    Spectator

    Thanks Betsy,

    The Nurse should be in touch with the hospital to get permission to flush dads drain tomorrow, it’s bank holiday today so everything comes to a stand still.

    I don’t understand why he was never advised to flush it. The District Nurse did mention to dad last month about flushing it but dad said everything was flowing fine so to leave it. Looked like he spoke too soon. He is on constant antibiotics so hopefully these will help keep infections at bay.

    I’m worried he won’t go in for a tube change, as he is very stubborn and already told the DN he won’t go back in. Suppose we will just have to cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

    How often do you have your tube changed?

    Thanks

    Andrea

    January 3, 2011 at 5:17 pm #46116
    betsy
    Spectator

    Hi Andie,

    I have a “pig-tail” catheter and I do flush them daily with 5cc of saline. Bile can be a bit thick so I also take a bile thinner, Ursodiol, 300mg 3x/day. Yes, tube changes can be done as a day-patient. My tube changes have always been that way. Sometimes I’ve had to stay the night if there was a complication such as an elevated blood pressure. I would definately stay on top of this problem so he doesn’t end up with a nasty infection.

    Betsy

    January 3, 2011 at 3:43 pm #4558
    andie
    Spectator

    Hi all,

    Dad had an external drain fitted Sept when they told him that his cc was now terminal and they couldn’t do anything else for him. Luckily he has had no problems with the drain, until now.

    New Years Eve it started to leak, he called the emergency nursing number and someone came and dressed it for him and told Dad they would get in touch with his District Nurse team (the nurses that see him weekly). They came today and it is still leaking and bile output in his bag is getting less. It is usually 200 but was 150 saturday and 100 last night. He did say the days before it started to leak he had been getting more than 200.

    Dad has never had it flushed, and I know from on here that many are flushed daily. His is a pig tail catheter?? he has no symptoms of infection, just leakage and less output. The Nurse thinks it needs flushing so is going to get in touch with the hospital as she needs permission to flush it. If this doesn’t work then she said he will have to go in hospital.

    My main worry is that it needs changing not flushing, and Dad said he is not going back in hospital, he said he is too weak to cope with another tube change. He has never had a tube change before though, only a stent added and then this external drain added. Can a tube change be done as a day patient, as his stent procedures have had him in hospital 5 days or more.

    Not a start to the New Year that we wanted, any advice or experience on the external drains would be appreciated.

    Best wishes to you all

    Andrea

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