Surgery Recovery Types of Drainage From a Surgical Wound By Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN LinkedIn Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She has experience in primary care and hospital medicine. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 04, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Scott Sundick, MD Medically reviewed by Scott Sundick, MD LinkedIn Scott Sundick, MD, is a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon. He currently practices in Westfield, New Jersey. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Normal Drainage Abnormal Drainage Drainage Amount Frequently Asked Questions If you or a loved one has had surgery recently, you may be concerned about the surgical incision site—how to care for it, what it looks like, and if it appears to be healing properly. One thing to be aware of is drainage from the site, known as exudate. While it can be alarming to see drainage from a surgical wound, usually it's perfectly normal and even expected. That said, in some cases, drainage can be a sign of infection—something that's fairly easy to prevent by taking simple steps like proper handwashing. Keeping an eye out for early signs of infection is also important. The earlier an infection is identified the faster it can be treated, which reduces healing time. This article will describe the difference between normal and abnormal wound drainage and when to call your healthcare provider. Caiaimage/Martin Barraud / Getty Images Learn How to Care For Your Incision After Surgery Normal vs. Abnormal Wound Drainage Drainage from a surgical wound can tell you a lot about whether the site is healing properly or not. Here are some differences between normal and abnormal wound drainage that can help you to evaluate if you should alert your healthcare provider that something is wrong. Normal Wound Drainage Drainage is clear or slightly yellow, or tinged with pink Fluid is thin and watery; may cause dressing to be damp Drainage has no odor A very small amount of bleeding Swelling, redness, tenderness diminish with time Abnormal Wound Drainage Drainage contains large amounts of blood Drainage contains pus and is yellow, grey, green, pink, or brown Drainage smells foul, even if it's clear Blood is gushing from wound Wound becomes increasingly red, tender, and swollen Types of Normal Wound Drainage Here's a closer look at the various types of normal drainage. Clear Drainage Clear, thin, and watery drainage is called serous exudate. This type of fluid is normal from a wound in the early stages of healing, typically in the first 48 to 72 hours after the incision is made. While this drainage is normal in small amounts, large amounts of it warrant a call to your surgeon or another healthcare provider. In some cases, serous fluid can actually weep from the skin, even where there is no trauma or incision. This typically happens in response to a medical condition or after massive amounts of fluid are given, such as during treatment for severe trauma. Slightly Pink Drainage Serosanguineous drainage is thin, watery drainage that's made up of small amounts of blood and a clear, yellowish fluid called serum. This drainage may appear slightly pink from the small number of red blood cells that are present. This discharge is normal in the early stages of healing, as the blood is present in small amounts. A very small percentage of blood in the fluid can make serum appear pink. Types of Abnormal Wound Drainage These types of drainage can indicate that there may be a problem with how a surgical wound is healing and can help you know if you should get it checked by a physician. Bloody Drainage Sanguineous drainage is abnormal wound drainage that typically has a thick amount of blood present in it. This bloody drainage is not typical of a healing wound. It may indicate that the wound hasn't been treated gently enough during incision care, you've been too active too quickly after surgery, or another type of stress is affecting the incision site. Report this type of drainage to your surgeon or another healthcare provider. Mostly or All Blood Hemorrhage is the term for severe bleeding from a wound. It can be life-threatening, depending on the amount of blood loss, how difficult the bleeding is to control, how long the bleeding goes unchecked, and other injuries. The term hemorrhage refers specifically to blood being lost at a rapid rate. Medical attention is an absolute necessity for treating hemorrhages and may include blood transfusions and intravenous (IV) fluids. In terms of drainage, hemorrhage is pure blood or nearly all blood. Seek treatment immediately. Hemorrhage Types and Treatment Colorful Drainage Purulent drainage, better known as pus, is not normal in a properly healing incision. This type of drainage can be a variety of colors, including white, yellow, grey, green, pink, and brown. Assume that this type of drainage is a sign of infection until proven otherwise. Color alone does not indicate infection, but a change from clear drainage to colorful drainage should be reported to the surgeon. What to Do About Pus From a Wound Foul-Smelling Drainage In addition to being a variety of colors, purulent (pus) discharge may also have unpleasant or foul smells. While a smell is not always present, it is typical of this type of infection. Foul-smelling discharge should not be ignored as it is never considered normal. Clear discharge with a foul odor should be considered a sign of infection until proven otherwise. Amount of Wound Drainage While the type of drainage is important, the amount of drainage may be more important, depending upon the type. For example, if there is a small amount of bleeding from a wound, it may not be alarming, but blood gushing from a wound, known as a hemorrhage, is a life-threatening condition. In general, the amount of discharge and the amount of blood in the discharge should decrease in the days following surgery. More discharge is expected in the first few days following surgery. After that, most wounds will typically have less discharge with less blood in it until there is no discharge whatsoever and the wound has completely closed. What to Expect With Scabs After Surgery Summary Normal wounds have normal drainage—it's clear or there is a little bit of blood or yellow color. The amount of drainage, and the amount of blood in it, should lessen as the wound heals. Abnormal wounds look angry and have angry drainage. They get worse—more tender, more drainage, more bleeding, more swelling. You should see your doctor if the drainage from your wound is colorful, increases in volume, or smells bad. If there is a lot of bleeding from the wound, seek emergency medical care. Frequently Asked Questions What is serosanguineous drainage? Serosanguineous drainage is clear, thin, watery, and contains blood and serum (clear, yellowish fluid). It can appear slightly pink due to the blood. Are there different types of wound drainage? Yes, there are different types of wound drainage. some of which are considered normal and others abnormal:Normal wound drainage: serous exudate and serosanguineousAbnormal wound drainage: sanguineous, hemorrhage, and purulent (pus) What are the types of surgical drains? Two types of surgical drains include chest tubes and bulb-type drains. A chest tube drains fluid that gathers around the heart or between the lungs and chest wall. Bulb-type drains, such as the Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain, use a rubber bulb to pull fluid through a thin tube out of the body. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 4 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Michigan Medicine. University of Michigan. Incision care after surgery. WoundSource. Identifying the different types of wound drainage. WoundSource. Wounds with heavy or purulent drainage. Cleveland Clinic. How to care for your Jackson Pratt drain.