drain
Meaning of drain: In medicine, a drain is a tube or wick placed to remove fluid from a wound, surgical site, or body cavity as it accumulates.
Definition of drain
A drain, in clinical use, refers both to the act of removing fluid as it collects and to the device used to accomplish this, typically a flexible tube or wick like material placed within a wound, surgical site, or body cavity. Drains are commonly placed after surgery to prevent blood or other fluid from building up in a space where it could delay healing or promote infection.
Different types of drains are suited to different purposes, ranging from a simple passive drain that relies on gravity or capillary action, to an active drain connected to gentle suction that continuously pulls fluid away from the area, such as those used after certain surgical procedures.
A drain is generally removed once the amount of fluid it collects decreases to a level considered low enough that its purpose has been served, and the drain site itself is monitored for signs of infection while it remains in place.
Used in a sentence
A drain was placed at the surgical site to remove excess fluid during recovery.
Good to know
A surgical drain is typically removed once its output decreases sufficiently, and the drain site itself requires the same attention to signs of infection as the surrounding surgical wound.