So What is a JP Drain?
What's a Jackson-Pratt (JP) Drain?A closed suction, silastic tube with multiple perforations on the flat part that resides in the body. You can attach it to a bulb which applies a constant negative pressure to the intracorporeal portion of the tubing.
What purpose do they serve?
Helps evacuate fluid/blood/pus from spaces in the body.
When do you decide to leave one?
- Lap appy for perforated/gangrenous appendicitis
- Nasty gallbladders with spillage of foul bile during a lap chole
- If there are common duct stones seen on a cholangiogram and I can't clear the duct laparoscopically; higher risk of the clips coming off from elevated ductal pressure.
- Emergency lap chole on a patient on plavix/aspirin, or even if the liver bed looks a little "oozy". Gives you an idea of any "bright red" blood loss.
- Next to low colorectal anastomoses
- Most pancreatic surgery
- Patients who present with peritonitis and massive fecal contamination
- After mastectomies/axillary dissections
- After excision of large lipomas (dead space can fill with serous fluid)
- Under the flaps after a large open ventral hernia repair
- Groin dissections