Having an ultrasound guided ascitic drain

You will need to have the procedure in the hospital. If you are not already an inpatient, you will receive details to be admitted into hospital from your referring doctor or specialist nurse. However, this procedure does not always involve an overnight stay.

When you are admitted to the ward, the nurse will need to ask you some questions to complete a nursing assessment; they will also need to take some blood samples to ensure that your bloods are in range for the procedure.

The blood samples can sometimes be taken the day before the procedure, your referring doctor or specialist nurse can discuss this with you.

We advise that you can drink and eat a light breakfast, such as cereal or toast before the procedure, and you may take your normal medications.

However, if you are taking blood thinners such as Aspirin, Warfarin, Clopidogrel, Apixaban or Rivaroxaban please contact the doctor or specialist nurse that referred you for the drain, as they may need to give you instructions on stopping these safely before you can have the ascitic drain inserted.

On admission to the ward you will be asked to change into an examination gown. Once you are in your hospital bed you will be escorted by a porter to the Radiology department, where you will have the ascitic drain inserted.

When you arrive in the Radiology department, you will meet a specially trained doctor called a radiologist, who will be performing the procedure, and a radiology nurse who will be with you throughout the procedure.

The radiologist will explain the procedure to you and the risks involved. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions. You will be asked to sign a consent form, a copy of which you can keep for your own records.

You will remain awake throughout the procedure and an injection of local anaesthetic will be given to the skin around the abdomen where the drain will be inserted, this area of skin will be cleaned with a skin cleaning solution. 

The radiologist will use an ultrasound machine to guide a needle and a thin wire to insert the drain into your abdomen. The needle and wire are then removed and the drain is attached to a drainage bag for the fluid to drain into.  

The procedure will take around 30 minutes, although you may be in the Radiology department for longer whilst the radiology nurse completes necessary observations, such as your blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels and temperature. They will also need to complete some nursing documentation before taking you back to the ward on your hospital bed.

Once you get back to the ward you will be asked to remain on bed rest for at least 4 to 6 hours. However, we encourage you to move around on the bed to help the fluid drain away, and the ward nurse will check your clinical observations at regular intervals.

If you start to feel unwell, you must let the ward nurses know as soon as possible as it may be that the fluid is draining too quickly. If this happens, the drain may need to be closed off or clamped temporarily.

Once the fluid has drained you will go to the Theatre Treatment Suite (based in the hospital) to have the drain removed. This involves loosening the drain and slowly pulling it out. This is usually pain free and only takes a couple of minutes to do. The nurse will apply a dressing because a small amount of fluid may leak from the drain site. After the drain has been removed you will return to the ward on your bed. The nurses on the ward will check your dressing before you go home. 

The dressing can be usually be removed 2 days after you have gone home, the doctor who removes the drain will talk to you about this. Please try and keep the dressing dry whilst it is still in place. You may bath and shower once the dressing has been removed.

Radiology Department

B level, Rotherham Hospital

For general enquires about your appointment

01709 424364 - available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

For enquiries about preparation for your examination, or to speak to a Radiology Nurse

01709 427086 - available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday