Dead space and drainage Flashcards
What is dead space?
a space formed between tissues that are normally anatomically connected
What do dead spaces most commonly fill with?
fluid, sometimes gas
What causes dead space?
excessive dissection during surgery or trauma–separation of tissues
What is the classic case of trauma that causes dead space?
big dog picks up little dog by scruff and shakes
What can create dead space during surgery?
- poor technique #1
- mass removal
- reconstruction
What is a seroma?
collection of serum in a tumor like mass
Why do we want to avoid dead space?
- slows healing (can’t get fibrin bridge; blood supply compromised)
- increases risk of infection of the wound–(rich nutrients in seroma)
How do you minimize dead sapce?
- meticulous minimalist technique
- mayo disseciton
- remove only target tissue
How do you manage dead sapce?
- layered wound closure
- tacking sutures
- compression bandage
- drainage
Where should you use surgical drainage?
where there is significant dead space or where expect fluid to accumulation cand cause a problem
Where should you not use drainage?
where the wound shouln’t be closed around a drain
- contamination
- more debridement required
Why is it pointless to sitck a drain in an abscess of guinea pigs, rabbits or birds?
their pus is too viscous
How do passive drains work?
they use capillary action, gravity and/or pressure gradients to remove fluid
What is a penrose drain?
the most commonly used passive drain in vet med
How do passive drains work?
they use capillary action, gravity and/or pressure gradients to remove fluid. the entire tubing acts as a slide.
