Aspiration / Drainage
A drainage or aspiration is a procedure performed to remove liquid from a collection of fluid in the body. The collection may contain clear fluid, puss or blood. Most abnormal fluid accumulations are accessible through the skin and performed under imaging guidance such as CT or ultrasound. Aspiration – where a needle is inserted and a sample of the collection is taken for pathology testing. A drainage or aspiration procedure may be performed for these reasons:
Preparation
You will need to fast for four hours before your appointment. This will ensure that your stomach is empty and eliminate the risk of aspiration (of fluid or food into the lungs). Please go to the peri-operative department on the day of your procedure. Staff will prepare you and perform a set of routine observations before coming to the interventional radiology department for your procedure. Please continue to take all your regular medication with sips of water (unless otherwise instructed), including your blood pressure medication. Please inform the clerk at the time of booking your procedure if you are currently taking medication that thins your blood ( for eg : Aspirin, Plavix, Warfarin) as these may need to be stopped a few days prior to your procedure. It may be useful to bring a LIST of medications to your appointment. You will need to have a blood test a few days prior to your appointment to assess your kidney function and blood clotting times. If your blood sample was taken outside the hospital then please obtain a copy of the results and bring it with you on the day of your procedure. You will need to bring any previous films (x-ray/CT/MRI/US) along to your appointment. It is important that you inform a member of staff as soon as possible if you are pregnant BEFORE the procedure is performed. If you suspect that you could be pregnant then you will need to have a pregnancy test at the hospital prior to the commencement of the procedure. This procedure involves the use of intravenous contrast; see Intravenous Contrast For health and safety reasons, family members cannot be present with you during the procedure. A staff member will be available to assist you at all times during the procedure if you have any concerns. A doctor will explain the procedure beforehand and you will be required to sign a consent form. If you require an interpreter, please inform the booking clerk at the time of booking. Procedure
Depending on the area to be aspirated/drained, you may need to change into a hospital gown. The skin is swabbed with an antiseptic solution and draped with sterile surgical towels. The doctor will use imaging assistance such as ultrasound or CT to determine the best place to insert the drain. The doctor then injects a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area. A drain/needle will be inserted to relieve pressure and fluid build up. During this time you may experience a sensation of pulling and pushing but the procedure should not be painful. Once the drain is in place and draining well then it will be secured. Samples may be sent to pathology upon request of your doctor. After the Procedure
A small, transparent dressing will be applied over the drain insertion site. Your vital signs will be monitored regularly and drainage output recorded. Once adequate amount of fluid is removed, the drain will then be taken out. The drain will be removed by either the nursing staff or the doctor and a small dressing will be applied to the area. In some cases the drain may be left in. If your drainage tube has been left in, take care not to pull the tube. It is not uncommon to be sore and experience light bruising at or near the drain insertion site. The pain is usually well controlled by taking over-the-counter pain relief. If there is continuous oozing, redness or purulent output then you may need to visit your GP. Results
A report regarding your procedure will be given to you before you leave to give to your referring doctor. It contains information about your procedure and any findings that your doctor should know about. Preparation Checklist
Don't forget to bring these along to your appointment
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