Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take. Call anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:. Author: Healthwise Staff. Care instructions adapted under license by your healthcare professional.
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Important Phone Numbers. Topic Contents Your Recovery How can you care for yourself at home? When should you call for help? Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Your Recovery Right after the surgery, you will probably feel weak, and you may feel sore for 2 to 3 days. How can you care for yourself at home? Rest when you feel tired.
Getting enough sleep will help you recover. After any activity, rest and raise your affected arm for a period of time equal to your activity time. Try to walk each day. Miltenburg uses a Jackson-Pratt or JP drain. As the tissues grow together the fluid production slows down and eventually stops.
This process takes about 14 days. Once drain production is less than 1 ounce 30 ml or 30 cc in 24 hours, the drain can be removed. What is the purpose of a drain? Postoperative serous fluid must come out and not accumulate inside the body. Bacteria must not enter the drainage system or the fluid will become infected. Follow these instructions carefully to keep drains working properly and prevent infection.
Use the small measuring cup you received from the hospital and the daily record sheet included on the website. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Start by stripping the drain tube so any clots that could clog the system are pushed out. Do this as many times as necessary to work out any clots or solid material. The person who is working the tubing may feel some burning on their fingers due to friction but stripping should not should not hurt the patient. Washing your hair can be a bit of a challenge due to limited motion in your arms, and it can be uncomfortable to lean over the sink.
Some people find that treating themselves to a shampoo at a hair salon is a good option. Soaking in a tub or entering a hot tub is not recommended while you have drains in place. Problems that can occur with drains include:. Surgeons vary on the length of time they want drains left in place. Most recommend drains be removed when there is less than 25 to 30 cc total coming from a drain in 24 hours.
Your surgeon will remove your drains by cutting the suture holding it in place and gently pulling out the tubing. You may notice a pulling sensation, but this only lasts a few minutes.
Most people do not need any pain medications for this procedure. Once your drain is out, ask your surgeon what kind of undergarments he or she recommends. Your bras should be supportive, comfortable, and not too tight. Underwire bras should be avoided. You will have small scars where the tubing exited your skin, but these often fade over time. Post-surgical drains can be a nuisance, but they are an important aspect of healing.
As the amount of your drainage decreases each day, think of it as signifying being one step closer to being cancer-free. Yes, this can happen if the tube is accidentally pulled, but it is rare. The tubing is held in place with sutures, but if they do not hold and the tubing falls out, cover the spot with a clean bandage and call your healthcare provider.
You should not sleep on the same side as the drainage tube to avoid blocking the tubing or pulling it out of the attached bulb. Get honest information, the latest research, and support for you or a loved one with breast cancer right to your inbox.
Sampathraju S, Rodrigues G. Seroma Formation after Mastectomy: Pathogenesis and Prevention. Indian J Surg Oncol. Surgical Procedures: Breast Reconstruction. Updated January 3, Wound drainage after axillary dissection for carcinoma of the breast.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Caring For Your Drain. Updated January Risk of infection is associated more with drain duration than daily drainage volume in prosthesis-based breast reconstruction: A cohort study.
Medicine Baltimore. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. About Your Mastectomy. Updated April 11, Sign up for emails about breast cancer news, virtual events, and more.
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