Hemovac Closed-Suction Drain Care

A Hemovac is a closed-suction surgical drain used to remove blood and fluid from a wound space after surgery. The reservoir must be compressed to create negative pressure. Safe care is simple on the surface, but exam questions usually test clinical judgment: Is the drainage expected, is suction working, is the patient bleeding, is the wound becoming infected, or has the drain become unsafe? The drain reduces fluid accumulation that could become a hematoma or seroma. It does not prevent bleeding, diagnose infection, or replace assessment of the patient and surgical site.