Postsurgical wound drainage system
Jackson-Pratt does not refer to a type of skin graft; rather, it is the brand name for a medical device that surgeons use to drain fluids from patients after many types of surgery, including certain skin grafting procedures.
Your Skin
Skin covers your entire body and is the largest single organ in humans. The outer layer (epidermis), comprises about 5 percent of your skin, and the thicker inner layer (dermis), comprises the other 95 percent.
Skin Grafts
According to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, skin grafts may be performed for a variety of reasons, including treatment of very large wounds or burns, and skin loss due to skin ulcers, infection or skin cancer.
Types of Grafts
A surgeon will remove healthy skin from a person's body at the so-called donor site. MedLine Plus states that most people require a split-thickness skin graft, which uses the two top layers of skin from the epidermis and the entire dermis. The donor site for this type of graft is often the buttocks or inner thigh. A full-thickness skin graft is needed when people experience deeper tissue loss and is a more complicated procedure. A surgeon must remove the entire thickness of skin from the donor site, along with muscles and the blood supply. This type of graft is commonly taken from skin and muscle flaps in the back or the abdominal wall.
Fluid Buildup
Fluid often collects in areas where surgery is performed. Aside from causing pain and swelling, this fluid buildup can slow the healing process and increase the risk of getting a post-operative infection.
Draining the Fluid
A Jackson-Pratt drain is a self-contained suction system. It comprises a thin rubber tube to which a soft round squeeze bulb is attached. A surgeon will insert one end of the tube into the part of the body where fluid is accumulating. The other end of the tube is passed through a small incision (cut) in the skin. The squeeze bulb is attached to this end of the tubing. When the bulb is pressed flat, it creates suction that pulls the fluid into the bulb, where it collects.
Recovery
According to Medline Plus, patients usually recover within two to four weeks after a split-thickness skin graft. After a full-thickness graft, patients generally remain in the hospital for a week or two and require a longer recovery period. The amount of fluid that drains from the wound decreases as healing begins. If a patient remains in a hospital setting, his health care provider will monitor the drainage and determine when to remove the Jackson-Pratt drain. If a patient is caring for a wound at home, he will need to follow careful instructions provided by his health care provider. If the drain stays in place longer than needed or is not cared for properly, the patient may get an infection and his wound may not heal properly.
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Tags: skin graft, donor site, skin from, According Medline, According Medline Plus
