Dr Harold Andersen invented the bilumenal tube as a way of easily observing that the tube is working. The aspirate is constantly being lifted up the aspirate tube by air that has gone down the vacuum control tube.
If it’s bubbling it’s working.
All of the bilumenal tubes and drains should be connected to a constant source of low vacuum
Tubes and drains come in a variety of sizes (lengths and cross-section), as well as in varying stiffness and stylet option.
In addition Andersen offers Doubilet and Worth drains as well as Miller-Abbott and Tungsten weighted intestinal drains.
Features of Andersen tubes and drains
- Separate vacuum control tube (prevents high suction causing tissue damage).
- Burr free edges to aspirating ports (prevents fibrin attachment and plugging)
- Round aspirating ports have slightly smaller diameter than tube (particles too large to pass through the aspirating tube are screened by aspirating ports).
- 24 aspirating ports (smaller percentage reduction in drainage if a port does become blocked).
- Vacuum control tube is attached to aspirating tube by a slender web (maximises cross sectional area of aspirating tube, to outperform conventional tubes many times its size).
- 0.5 micron anti-bacterial filter (prevents airborne contaminants from entering the wound).
- Soft vinyl material (reduces pressure necrosis).
- No latex (avoids allergic reactions).
- Radio opaque vacuum control tube (x-ray to confirm positioning)
- Clear aspirating tube (if it’s bubbling its working).
- Label covering yellow filter (prevents siphoning up the vacuum control tube before it is attached to an aspirator).
Tube sizing (French’s)
Fr stands for 'French Size'. It is a world wide standard for medical tubing outside diameter. Developed by a French physician in the 1800's, it is a measurement of tubing circumference. The theory being that non-round tubes of the same circumference will fit into the same incision in the skin or vessel. One French is approximately 1/3 of a millimetre or .013 inches.