Retained anchoring suture after removal of a Cope-loop drainage catheter: use of the retract-and-cut method

A method is described for managing retention of the anchoring suture within the tract after a Cope-loop drainage catheter has been removed. In the authors' experience, the overwhelming majority of such strings can be extracted by sliding a dilator over the suture and using gentle manipulation at the site of adherence. However, in 12 patients, this technique was not successful. In these patients, the retract-and-cut method was used: The suture is pulled taut and cut at the surface, allowing it to retract into the tract. This provided a safe and simple solution for this complication.