A Penrose drain is a soft, flexible tube used to help fluid leave a wound or surgical area. It is often placed after surgery or after treatment of an infected wound so blood, lymph, pus or other fluid does not collect under the skin.
A Penrose drain does not use suction. Instead, it is an open, passive drain. Fluid moves out through the drain and collects on a dressing or gauze placed around the drain site. Your healthcare team will tell you how to care for it, how often to change the dressing and when it should be removed.
What is a Penrose drain?
A Penrose drain is a thin, soft, flexible tube that allows fluid to drain from a wound to the outside of the body. Part of the tube stays inside the wound or surgical area, while one or both ends may come out through the skin.
The outside end is usually covered with a dressing. In some cases, a small safety pin or tab is used to keep the drain from slipping back into the wound. The exact setup depends on the type of surgery, the wound location and your healthcare provider’s instructions.
Why is a Penrose drain used?
A Penrose drain may be used when a healthcare professional wants fluid to leave a wound instead of building up inside. Fluid collection can slow healing, increase pressure around the wound or raise the risk of infection.
Common reasons for using a Penrose drain include:
- Helping blood or fluid leave a surgical wound.
- Reducing fluid buildup after an operation.
- Draining an abscess or infected wound.
- Helping a wound heal from the inside out.
- Allowing a surgeon to monitor the amount and type of drainage.
A Penrose drain is temporary. It is usually removed when the wound is healing and drainage has decreased enough.
How does a Penrose drain work?
A Penrose drain works by allowing fluid to move out of the wound through the open tube. Because it does not attach to a bulb or suction device, the fluid usually drains onto gauze or a dressing taped to the skin.
This is different from closed suction drains, such as a Jackson-Pratt drain or Hemovac drain, which collect fluid inside a bulb or container. A Penrose drain is simpler, but the dressing around it may need to be changed more often because the drainage is collected externally.
| Drain type | How it works | Where the fluid goes |
|---|---|---|
| Penrose drain | Passive, open drainage without suction. | Onto gauze or a dressing outside the body. |
| Jackson-Pratt drain | Closed suction using a compressed bulb. | Into a collection bulb. |
| Hemovac drain | Closed suction drainage system. | Into a collection container. |
What does normal drainage look like?
Drainage can vary depending on the procedure and the wound. In general, drainage may be more bloody at first and then become lighter, thinner or clearer as healing progresses.
Your healthcare team may ask you to watch for:
- The amount of drainage.
- The color of the fluid.
- Any change in odor.
- Whether the dressing becomes soaked quickly.
- Redness, swelling or pain around the drain site.
Do not rely only on color to decide whether something is normal. Follow the instructions you were given after surgery, and contact your healthcare provider if you are unsure.
How to care for a Penrose drain
Your surgeon or nurse should give you specific instructions. The details can vary depending on the wound, surgery and location of the drain. In general, care usually focuses on keeping the area clean, changing the dressing as directed and watching for signs of infection or complications.
Wash your hands first
Before touching the dressing, drain or skin around the drain, wash your hands well with soap and water or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Clean hands help reduce the risk of introducing germs to the wound area.
Change the dressing as instructed
The dressing around a Penrose drain absorbs fluid as it leaves the wound. Your healthcare team will tell you how often to change it. Change the dressing sooner if it becomes wet, loose, dirty or soaked, unless you were told otherwise.
Check the drain site
When changing the dressing, look at the skin around the drain. Report increasing redness, warmth, swelling, worsening pain, pus-like drainage, bad odor or fever. These can be signs that the wound needs medical attention.
Do not pull on the drain
A Penrose drain can sometimes be held in place with a stitch, safety pin or tab. Do not pull, cut, push in or remove the drain yourself unless your healthcare provider specifically tells you to do so.
Keep follow-up appointments
Drain removal timing depends on the reason it was placed and how much fluid is still draining. Keep your follow-up visits so your healthcare team can check healing and decide when the drain can be removed.
When is a Penrose drain removed?
A Penrose drain is removed when your healthcare provider decides it is no longer needed. This may depend on the amount of drainage, how the wound looks, your symptoms and the type of procedure performed.
Some patient instructions recommend contacting the healthcare team when no fluid has drained for a certain period, but you should follow the specific instructions given by your own surgeon or clinic.
Do not remove a Penrose drain at home unless you have been directly instructed and trained to do so by a healthcare professional.
Warning signs: when to call a doctor
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you notice any of the following:
- Fever or chills.
- Increasing redness, warmth or swelling around the drain site.
- Worsening pain that does not improve as expected.
- Drainage that smells bad or looks like pus.
- Bleeding that soaks the dressing or does not slow down.
- The drain slips out, moves inward or seems damaged.
- The dressing becomes soaked very quickly.
- New nausea, weakness or feeling very unwell.
If symptoms are severe, sudden or concerning, seek urgent medical care. Do not wait for a routine appointment if you think something is seriously wrong.
Can you shower with a Penrose drain?
Whether you can shower depends on your surgery, wound and provider instructions. Some people are told to keep the area dry for a period of time, while others may receive specific showering instructions.
Do not soak the wound in a bath, pool or hot tub unless your healthcare provider says it is safe. Soaking can increase the risk of infection or affect wound healing.
Can you sleep with a Penrose drain?
Yes, but you may need to protect the drain and dressing while sleeping. Avoid lying in a way that pulls on the drain or puts pressure on the wound. Loose clothing may be more comfortable and can help prevent accidental tugging.
If the drain is in an area that is difficult to protect, ask your healthcare team how to secure the dressing safely.
Penrose drain vs other surgical drains
A Penrose drain is only one type of surgical drain. The best type depends on the wound, expected drainage, surgical technique and the healthcare provider’s judgment.
- Penrose drain: open, passive drainage onto a dressing.
- Jackson-Pratt drain: closed suction drain with a small bulb.
- Hemovac drain: closed suction drain often used for larger amounts of fluid.
Each drain has different care instructions. If you are not sure which drain you have, ask your nurse, surgeon or pharmacist before changing dressings or handling it.
Quick summary
- A Penrose drain helps fluid leave a wound or surgical site.
- It is an open, passive drain and does not use suction.
- Fluid usually drains onto gauze or a dressing.
- Keep the area clean and change dressings as instructed.
- Call your healthcare provider for fever, worsening pain, bad odor, pus, heavy bleeding or drain movement.
- Do not remove the drain yourself unless you were specifically instructed to do so.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Penrose drain painful?
You may feel discomfort, tenderness or pulling around the drain site, especially after surgery. Worsening pain, severe pain, swelling, fever or pus-like drainage should be reported to a healthcare professional.
How long does a Penrose drain stay in?
The timing depends on the type of surgery, the wound and how much fluid is draining. Your healthcare provider will decide when it is safe to remove the drain based on healing and drainage.
Can I remove a Penrose drain myself?
No. Do not remove, cut, push in or pull out a Penrose drain unless your healthcare provider specifically tells you to do so and gives you instructions. Removing it incorrectly can affect healing or increase the risk of complications.
What should I do if my Penrose drain falls out?
Cover the area with a clean dressing and contact your healthcare provider for instructions. Do not try to push the drain back into the wound.
What color should Penrose drain fluid be?
Drainage may be bloody at first and may become lighter as the wound heals. However, thick pus-like drainage, bad odor, heavy bleeding or sudden changes should be reported to your healthcare provider.
Can a Penrose drain get infected?
The drain itself is placed to help reduce fluid buildup, but the wound and drain site still need care. Increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pain, fever, pus or foul odor can be signs of infection and should be checked by a healthcare professional.