Removing T-Tube Drain Originally Posted by Miss RNC RN's and LPN's have been removing Jackson Pratt, Duvol, Penrose, Hemovac, Constavac and T-tube drains for years.
I would like some guidance on removing a T-Tube drain. I had an order today to remove one and thought it would be like other drains. I was surprised to find that there were no stitches. I stopped at that point and went to get some clarification from a more experienced nurse. What I was told by others (two ICU nurses) was that it is just like any other drain. The doctor's order did not indicate that any special precautions or procedures were needed. I had no trouble removing it. It did not bleed. It was intact. Later, though, a nephrologist, when asked, said that t-tubes are taken out in radiology! Please tell me he was confused or misinformed! You say nurses have been pulling them out for years. I would feel horrible if I did this wrong, especially if it caused some damage!
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