[What suction drainage is optimal for drainage of wound secretion? A clinico-experimental study exemplified by the...

In a randomized clinical study on 40 intraarticular knee joint drainages the effect of a high vacuum, middle vacuum, low vacuum and suction free drainages were examined. The maximum of the volume that was drained had been in the group of the suction free drainages. Drains with a long period of suction had a minimum of evaluated ultrasonographic effusion in the knee joint. The group with high vacuum was obviously not as long as open as in the other groups. Thrombi in the drainages could be found in every group. This refers to the observation that the finding of adherent thrombi is related to the material the drain is made of. Adherent thrombi decrease the possibility of secretion, not adherent thrombi do not decrease suction volume. Referring to these results it is obvious that not the high-vacuum drainage is the matter of choice for intraarticular drains. The suction-free drainages or drains with reduced vacuum have more advantages in respect to simple, secure and fast implantation and handling.