![]() A stitch may be placed at the drain site. At this time, the dressing will be taken off and the tube will be removed. Your doctor will decide when your lumbar drain can safely be removed. Family and friends should never move you, the bed or touch your drain. The drain must be clamped before moving, and its level may need to be altered after you have moved. ![]() If you would like to change positions or get out of bed, always ask your nurse for help. This exam may need to be done as often as every hour.ĭo not touch the lumbar drain while it is in place to prevent infection and to keep the drain from coming out. The nurse will also perform a neurological exam by asking you a series of questions and having you follow commands such as moving your arms and legs or sticking out your tongue. The fluid that is drained may be clear or colored. The nurse will drain off CSF as ordered by the doctor and adjust the position of the drain. The drainage system will be attached to an IV pole at your bedside.Īfter placement of the drain, the nurse will watch you closely and check your drain and dressing often. The doctor will place a dressing over the insertion site, tape the tube in place and attach the tube to the drainage system. When the needle is in the right spot, the soft tube will be left in place while the needle is removed. The doctor will then numb the area and insert a needle between two lower back vertebrae. They will remove any hair, clean the area to remove any germs and drape a cloth to keep the area sterile. The doctor will prepare the lumbar area in your lower back where the drain will be placed. You will either lie on your side in bed with your chin tucked to your chest or sit at the edge of the bed leaning over a bedside table. You will be given medicine to keep you comfortable. Your doctor will place the lumbar drain during surgery in the operating room, in a special procedure room or while you are lying in bed in your hospital room. Too much pressure in the spinal cord can slow blood flow to the area and can lead to confusion and trouble thinking, pain, weakness, and even paralysis. A lumbar drain is often needed to collect CSF from the spine after surgery or to reduce pressure in the spinal cord or brain. CSF is a clear fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord. A lumbar drain is a small, flexible, soft plastic tube placed in the lower back to remove cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).
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