Page 25 - Manual of Equine Field Surgery

Wound Closure 21

.,....:. .

A B

•

' I
'

·, :

C D

Figure 3-11 A-D, Use of walking sutures placed in the subcutaneous tissue to close large defects in skin.

Figure 3-12 A, Insertion of the

Jackson-Pratt negative suction drain

using a trocar at a site ventral to the I

incision line. B, Jackson-Pratt negative

suction drain in place to provide con-

tinuous suction to remove exudate and

fluid from the incision or wound site. A B

Note use of three-way stopcock, 60-mL
•
syringe, and needle placed through l

'
plunger to maintain suction. l

ensure against fluid accumulation. Drains must be the chances of retrograde infection. Drains should

maintained in a sterile environment to decrease be sutured proximally and at the exit point.

the chance of secondary infection. They should Drains are classified as active or passive. Active

traverse the wound from a proximal to distal ori- drains are closed suction drains that function by

entation, adjacent to but not directly underlying negative pressure to suction out excess fluid or air

the suture line, and should exit from a separate (Figure 3-12). Passive drains, including Penrose

incision adjacent to the wound edges to minimize drains or other forms of rubber or polyethylene