Drain Tags: A Reliable Method of Securing Drains in the Neck

Drains are essential in most surgeries. Primary need is elimination of dead space and related consequences but drains per se do have their share of complications, one of them being dislodgment. Complications related to dislodgment can range from inactive drains to damage to critical areas like anastomosis sites. Securing drains using this technique was described by Jayaraj et al. in 1988. Since then, no study was done to determine the efficacy and outcomes of this method. An audit was conducted from 2009 to 2014 at SDM Craniofacial unit to determine the utility of drain fixation. Data was collected of a total of 143 patients from the medical records. This useful technique has the advantage of preventing the drain from displacement and its consequent complications.