How Long Do Jackson Pratt Drains Stay in After Bilateral Mastectomy?

I had bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction with TEs April 3, 2012 and it is now May 7 and I still have 2 drains. My PS won't take drains out until the 24 hour total is 15cc or less for at least 2 days. I have kept the site clean and clear of infection but it's getting extremely sore. I have maintained a 24 hour output of 20cc for over a week but my PS still will not remove these drains. I guess each PS has their own drain output requirement before removing and there's no set amount, right?

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1 Doctor Answer | Asked by Grammy Pammy in Decatur, AL

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Deciding when to remove drains after bilateral mastectomy

Grammy Pammy, You are right when you say that every PS individualizes when to remove the drains. Some of the decision making depends on the actual technique of TE reconstruction. If an acellular dermal matrix, like Alloderm or Flex HD, is used, fluid collection can be a more common problem, and may be associated with additional time to have the drains removed. The concern with early drain removal is that if fluid does collect around the TE, it can be associated with... more