title: Minimally invasive surgical technique for tethered surgical drains.
abstract: A feared complication of temporary surgical drain placement is from the technical error of accidentally suturing the surgical drain into the wound. Postoperative discovery of a tethered drain can frequently necessitate return to the operating room if it cannot be successfully removed with nonoperative techniques. Formal wound exploration increases anesthesia and infection risk as well as cost and is best avoided if possible. We present a minimally invasive surgical technique that can avoid the morbidity associated with a full surgical wound exploration to remove a tethered drain when other nonoperative techniques fail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Shane R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Jibanananda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Satpathy
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Waligora
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Obinna
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ugwu-Oju
keywords: Arthroplasty; Surgical procedures; complication; drain; drainage; orthopedic; suction; surgery; surgical complications; tethered