A multilayer drainage tube with replaceable parts was developed by medical scientists at Penza State University (PSU). Its use in cleaning wounds in post-operative patients accelerated healing and reduced hospital stays. This was reported to socialbites.ca at the Ministry of Education and Science.
Drainage tubes are required to clean wounds from purulent secretions for every second patient undergoing surgery. However, they quickly become clogged with blood clots and other discharges, and replacing the tube can be traumatic and dangerous for the patient.
The researchers developed a multilayer tube containing an inner container made of microporous nylon fabric with absorbent powder inside. This part of the device can be changed many times.
“The sorbent adsorbs the liquid discharge. The contents are emptied through the drainage holes. The inner tube and sorbent cylinder can be removed and replaced. This prevents the drain pipe from clogging. Attaching our device to the patient after the operation will allow the purulent spaces to be emptied quickly and efficiently. The patient will not feel discomfort, the excessive factor of wound damage and the need for repeated surgical intervention will disappear, ”Oleg Zenin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Human Anatomy at PSU, told socialbites.ca.
The researchers tested the new tubes on the basis of the first surgical department of the Donetsk Clinical Regional Medical Association. The purulent cavities in the patients were cleared faster and the time spent in the hospital after the operation was reduced by an average of 3-5 days.
Scientists hope that once the invention is complete, it can be used in various fields of medicine, including military field surgery, traumatology, and cosmetology. It is now ready for use in surgeries of the abdominal cavity, lungs and chest – for example, acute destructive pancreatitis, liver and lung abscess, echinococcosis, pancreatic necrosis and many other pathologies.
Researchers have already patented the invention. They expect the development to enter the practical healthcare system in Russia soon.