Removal of the wound drain at the right time after total joint arthroplasty

Abstract

Introduction: The principle of wound treatment after joint arthroplasty, closed suction drainage, is well established. The effectiveness of this method has recently come under scrutiny. The use of closed suction drains is currently regarded as debatable.There isn't much information available to help the surgeon determine how long the drain should stay in place. Typically, this has only ever included directions.This has typically just included directives like "remove drains once drainage has ceased or becomes negligible," which can take anywhere between 24 and 72 hours following surgeryResults: Average wound drainage shrank during time. When compared to TKAs, THAs have comparable quantities. The first 24 hours for both groups saw the largest drainage.Thus, effective antibiotic prophylaxis gradually declines with time; this observation supports the notion of early drain removal. In conclusion, this study supports the use of drains to reduce hematoma formation and avoid infection and perioperative wound morbidity while simultaneously highlighting the significant infection risk associated with the drains themselves.Conclusion: Average wound drainage shrank during time. When compared to TKAs, THAs have comparable quantities. The first 24 hours saw the highest drainage for both groups (56% for the hips and 64% for the knees).The percentage of infected drains increased noticeably after 48 hours.