Mikulicz's drain

Mikulicz's drain is a name used for a procedure used in emergency medicine to control bleeding. Today, it is primarily used in post-operative surgery as a last resort when all other methods to control bleeding fail. The procedure involves pushing a layer of gauze into the wound, then packing in several more layers of gauze as the original layer is pushed deeper into the cavity.^[1] Pressure is thus induced while the capillary action of the improvised gauze-sac secures drainage.

It was developed by Polish surgeon Jan Mikulicz-Radecki (1850-1905) as a means to drain the abdominal cavity after an operation. In the past, the gauze was treated with iodoform as an antiseptic.^[2]

References

• National Library of Medicine, Rehabilitation of Mikulicz's drainage
• Mikulicz’s drain in life-threatening bleeding: a last resort when all other methods fail BJU International: Volume 94, Issue 9, Version of Record online: 6 DEC 2004.

1. Mikulicz's drain at Who Named It
2. The International Journal of Surgery, Volumes 23-24