After completion of the abdominal surgery, Jackson-Pratt drains are placed in the peritoneal cavity. As the 45 x 60 cm Ioban Antimicrobial Incise Drape (3M, St Paul, MN) or polyethylene sheets prepared, dry surgical towels are placed over the adhesive aspect of the Ioban drape adjusting to the range of the open abdomen. The visceral aspect of the Ioban drape is perforated multiple times with a scalpel blade. It then is placed over the peritoneal viscera and beneath the peritoneum of the abdominal wall. Experientially, towels attached to the Ioban drape seem to be easy to locate and be less broken away during placement in the open abdomen. Next, two Jackson-Pratt drains are placed on top of the towels, and the tubing is tunneled along the subcutaneous tissue to exit approximately 3 to 5 cm away from the upper or middle side of the wound. Then, the same-sized Ioban drape is placed over the wound and adjacent abdominal wall skin after adjacent skin is dried with towels. Each drain tube is connected to bulb suction. Finally, temporary abdominal closure is checked to determine whether the negative pressure seal is completed [
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