How to Perform Wound Drainage
Incisional wounds and open wounds can have different types of drainage. Some drainage can be normal and healthy, while other types can be a cause for alarm. If you are currently healing from a wound, it is important to keep close attention on your wound and any types of drainage.
Types of Normal Wound Drainage
- Serous drainage: Thin, watery, yellow, and/or colorless are all attributes of serous drainage. Serous drainage is normal from a wound in the early stages of healing.
- Serosanguinous drainage: This type of wound drainage is yellowish, with small amounts of blood. This can also be normal in the early stages of healing, as the blood is present in small amounts.
Types of Abnormal Wound Drainage
- Sanguineous drainage: This type of drainage may be indicative of trauma to the wound site, and is characterized by fresh blood. This is usually seen in deep, partial-thickness, and full-thickness wounds.
- Seropurulent drainage: This type of drainage is cloudier in its transparency and can be slightly yellow or tan in appearance. This usually means that the wound has an infection and will need further treatment.
- Purulent drainage: This type of drainage is thick and opaque. It can be tan, yellow, green, or brown in color, and is never normal in a wound bed.
- Hemorrhage: Severe bleeding from the wound can be life-threatening depending on the amount of blood loss, how difficult the bleeding is to control, and how long the bleeding is left unchecked.
When treating a wound, it is necessary to take extreme caution, especially if the wound is draining. It is best to seek immediate medical attention if any drainage is noticed from the wound site.
Healthpointe now offers a Regenerative Medicine Program that provides quality wound care solutions to all patients, to assist in treating various forms of tissue damage and wound issues. Some of the wound care services offered at Healthpointe include skin grafting, wound debridement, and wound draining. Contact Healthpointe today to find out more about theRegenerative Medicine Program, and to receive prompt medical attention for your wound care issues.
Healthpointe is a leading multidisciplinary healthcare organization offering a full range of medical services in practice locations throughout Southern California (Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County). Healthpointe has locations situated in over 10 cities in Southern California including La Mirada by Whittier, La Habra, Norwalk, Cerritos, Buena Park, and Santa Fe Springs. As a highly regarded musculoskeletal group, we have a personal investment in the highest level of service, and we are proud of our record of excellence over the last four decades with private patients, injured workers, urgent care, personal injuries, and professional and non-professional athletes. Leading our organization is a dynamic team of healthcare professionals who continually strive to be at the forefront of medical innovation and healthcare service delivery. For more information, a complete list of services, and Healthpointe locations, visit Healthpointe.net.