Jackson-Pratt drain

The device consists of an internal drain connected to a grenade-shaped bulb or circular cylinder via plastic tubing.

The resulting vacuum creates suction in the drainage tubing, which gradually draws fluid from the surgical site into the bulb.

One can also put a little bit of lotion or mineral oil on their fingertips to lubricate the tube to make stripping easier.

[1] It is important to watch the skin around the drain for signs of possible infection: increased redness, pain, or swelling; fever greater than 101 °F; cloudy yellow, tan, or foul-smelling drainage.

This risk can be reduced by a daily subcutaneous injection of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) until the surgical drain is removed.