Hi guys, I am new in this process and am doing as much research as I can. I am wondering if everyone had a drain after surgery, or if only some doctors do them? If not every doctor does it, what is the point?

I didn't have one. Neither did my husband.

I had seen that some people had mentioned they had a drain. But my doctor did not need to put one in. Not sure why but the staff at the doctor's office and at the hospital all thought it odd to have a drain.

Only some doctors do them. My surgeon does -- it helps get blood, etc. out of the body cavity instead of just sitting around in there. Also, the fluid that drains out can help to determine (very easily) whether you have a leak or not. Having a drain wasn't exactly a ton of fun, but it wasn't a big deal either.

I didn't have a drain nor did they do a catheter. My surgeon said he does drains for a number of reasons, one of which is prior abdominal area surgery. I've had gallbladder surgery many years ago, so I thought a drain could be possible.

Edited June 24, 201511 yr by no onions

wondering if everyone had a drain after surgery

@@Missbliss14

no drain here

@@Bufflehead said............

Fluid that drains out can help to determine (very easily) whether you have a leak or not. Having a drain wasn't exactly a ton of fun, but it wasn't a big deal either.

interesting esp. about the possible leak

@@Missbliss14

any doc you are "previewing" before surgery, can tell you if they do a drain or not

kathy

good luck

no prior abdominal surgery, no drain. I did get a catheter and I was glad when they removed it. I had a tremendous urge to "relieve" myself.

No drain here - as you can see, some docs use them and others don't. Other common variations (from a patient's perspective) is that some docs use a urinary catheter while others don't (mine did,) and some require extensive pre-op diets, sometimes liquids only for a couple weeks or more, while others don't. It's all a big YMMV thing.

_{Thank you everyone for your responses, I will ask my surgeon if he uses a drain or not. I'm terrified of throwing up blood after my surgery, I wonder if a drain would help with that?? @Bufflehead}

_{Thank you everyone for your responses, I will ask my surgeon if he uses a drain or not. I'm terrified of throwing up blood after my surgery, I wonder if a drain would help with that?? @Bufflehead}

I didn't have a drain and I didn't throw up at all after my surgery - had a little nausea right after, but it went away.

@@Missbliss14

I did have a drain. Only in for two days then removed. It was a piece of cake compared to a catheter :-)

My surgeon doesn't use drains.

@@Missbliss14 I don't know for sure (not a medical professional) but I doubt a drain would have an effect on whether or not you throw up. Anything you throw up starts inside the closed world of the stomach, but the drain is from the abdominal cavity and doesn't take anything from the inside of the stomach. That's how they can tell if there is a leak from the drain fluid -- if something drains out that should be staying inside the stomach, there's a problem.

Surgical anesthesia is pretty good these days. If you have a tendency to throw up after general anesthesia, discuss it with your surgeon and anesthesiologist -- there are steps they can take to lessen the possibility of that happening. Good luck!

@Bufflehead thank you!!

I had a drain after surgery - my surgeon says he does them. The nurse emptied it every 2 hours and measured how much was coming out. My surgeon also requires a 2 day hospital stay for the sleeve and the bypass. The nurse removed the drain when I went home. The incision where the drain was is the one that actually hurt - the others never really did. 4 weeks later it's still a tiny bit sore but it's pretty much healed up.

drains are more common with bypass surgery than they are for the sleeve as the bypass has more open wound ends , also depends on past surgery and the propensity of the patient to bleed or swell.