Akademik

Continuous withdrawal of fluids from a wound or other cavity.

- capillary d. d. by means of a wick of gauze or other material.

- closed d. d. of a body cavity via a water- or air-tight system. Cf.:sump drain.

- dependent d. d. from the lowest part and into a receptacle at a level lower than the structure being drained. SYN: downward d..

- downward d. SYN: dependent d..

- infusion-aspiration d. a type of d. in which antibiotics are continuously infused into a cavity at the same time fluid is being drained (aspirated) from the cavity.

- open d. d. allowing air to enter.

- postural d. d. used in bronchiectasis and lung abscess. The patient's body is positioned so that the trachea is inclined downward and below the affected chest area.

- suction d. closed d. of a cavity, with a suction apparatus attached to the d. tube.

- through d. d. obtained by the passage of a perforated tube, open at both extremities, through a cavity; in addition, the cavity can be washed out by a solution passed through the tube.

- tidal d. d. of the urinary bladder by means of an intermittent filling and emptying apparatus.

- Wangensteen d. continuous d. by suction through an indwelling gastric or duodenal tube.

drain·age 'drā-nij n

1) the act or process of drawing off fluids from a cavity or wound by means of suction or gravity

2) a process of releasing internal conflicts or pent-up feelings (as hostility or guilt)

the drawing off of fluid from a cavity in the body, usually fluid that has accumulated abnormally. For example, serous fluid may be drained from a swollen joint, pus removed from an internal abscess, or urine from an overdistended bladder. See also drain.