Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
A Blake drain is a silicone surgical drain with channels, rather than holes, along its sides. It is connected to a suction reservoir to remove fluid that collects at a surgical site. It is a product of Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson MedTech), sold with J-VAC reservoirs as part of a closed wound drainage system. Users include surgical teams, ward and theatre staff, and the supply buyers and students who need to tell the Blake family from other drains.
What a Blake drain is
Ethicon describes the J-VAC Closed Wound Drainage System as a single-use, portable system with two parts: suction drains (the BLAKE drains) and reservoirs. A health-system patient handout describes this kind of temporary drain as used to remove unwanted fluid that builds up in the body, placed during surgery. The manufacturer lists procedure areas where the drains are used, including plastic surgery (breast reconstruction or reduction, abdominoplasty), cardiothoracic surgery (CABG, valve), general surgery (bariatric, mastectomy, carotid endarterectomy) and orthopedic surgery (hip and knee arthroplasty). Indications and contraindications are defined only in the package insert.
How it is built
- Silicone with a solid centre. Ethicon states the drain is constructed of silicone with a solid center designed for strength and flexibility.
- Four continuous channels. According to Ethicon, the four channels give greater tissue contact area than regular perforated drains and offer multiple drainage routes to resist clogging. This is the main design difference from a drain that relies on holes.
- Radiopaque marking. The flat drain is radiopaque; the round hubless drain carries a blue radiopaque stripe along its length; the 24 FR drain has a bifurcated stripe visible on x-ray.
- Extension tube and adapter. A round silicone extension tube and an adapter connect the drain to the reservoir.
- Reservoir. J-VAC reservoirs come packaged sterile in a pre-compressed state, are described as capable of dual drainage, and have an anti-reflux valve, fluid markers for approximate measurement, and a drain port with plug for emptying.
Types and sizes
The Ethicon BLAKE Silicone Drains brochure lists two drain shapes. All items are supplied sterile.
| Type | Sizes listed | Channelled length | Trocar options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat drain | 7 mm, 10 mm | 3/4 fluted (75%) or full fluted (100%) | With or without a 3/16 inch trocar |
| Round hubless drain | 10 FR, 15 FR, 19 FR, 24 FR | Four channels along the sides | 10 FR with 1/8 inch trocar; 15 FR with 3/16 inch; 19 FR with 1/4 inch; 24 FR listed without trocar |
| Round hubless, bendable trocar | 15 FR and 19 FR only | Four channels along the sides | Trocar can be angled to facilitate easier placement, per the manufacturer |
The same brochure lists reservoirs of 150, 300 and 450 mL (J-VAC) and a 100 cc bulb suction reservoir, and J-VAC adapters in 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 inch. The 24 FR drain is described as having a larger channel lumen than the 19 FR, rounded inner lumen corners and a larger transition zone that, per Ethicon, helps minimize the chance of clotting. It comes with 16-inch extension tubing designed for cardiovascular and thoracic procedures.
Blake drain vs Jackson-Pratt drain
Both are closed-suction wound drains connected to a collection reservoir, and a patient handout from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey groups them together. They differ in design: the Blake drain is a channelled silicone drain, and Ethicon contrasts its four channels with regular perforated drains, while the Jackson-Pratt style is a hollow tube with an egg-shaped bulb as the collector, as the Rutgers handout describes it. Stocking-level detail on the Jackson-Pratt, Hemovac and Penrose styles is in our drainage catheter stocking guide. Ethicon also states that its drains offer less discomfort on removal and more mobility than rigid chest tubes; that is a manufacturer claim. For chest tubes see what is a chest tube.
How to choose
The manufacturer’s published selection points are these: the 24 FR drain and its longer tubing are specified for cardiovascular and thoracic procedures, bendable trocars exist only in 15 FR and 19 FR round drains, and the choice of drain for a given use is governed by the full package insert, which Ethicon cites for indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions. The drain and reservoir are separate items, so both appear on the order form. Size and type for a patient are a clinical decision.
Safe use and handling basics
General points from patient-education material and the manufacturer: these are single-use, sterile devices; the drain is placed and removed by a clinician; tubing should not be pulled on and the reservoir should not be left dangling. Patients are told to contact their healthcare team about leaking or cracked tubing, redness or swelling, cloudy or foul-smelling fluid, a fever of 100.4 F or higher, rapid bright-red filling, or if the drain comes out. Drain sites are also part of surgical site infection prevention, and dressings around them are covered in what is a wound dressing. Follow the package insert and local protocol.
Common mistakes
- Treating drain families as interchangeable. Blake (channelled silicone) and perforated drains are different designs.
- Ordering a drain without the matching reservoir or adapter.
- Assuming a trocar is included. The brochure lists drains both with and without trocars under different item numbers.
- Treating the manufacturer’s comparative claims as independent findings.
Drainage supplies, including closed-suction drains, are listed under drainage catheters.
FAQ
What is a Blake drain?
A silicone surgical drain with four continuous channels along its sides, connected to a suction reservoir to collect fluid from a surgical site.
What is the difference between a Blake drain and a Jackson-Pratt drain?
The Blake drain uses four channels along a solid-centred silicone body; a Jackson-Pratt style drain is a hollow tube with a bulb collector, and Ethicon contrasts its channels with regular perforated drains. Both work as closed-suction drains.
What sizes do Blake drains come in?
Flat drains in 7 mm and 10 mm; round hubless drains in 10, 15, 19 and 24 FR, per the Ethicon brochure.
Does a Blake drain come with a trocar?
Either way. The Ethicon brochure lists flat and round drains both with and without a trocar under different item numbers, so check the item ordered.
What reservoirs are used with a Blake drain?
Ethicon lists J-VAC reservoirs of 150, 300 and 450 mL and a 100 cc bulb suction reservoir, all supplied sterile and pre-compressed.
Is a Blake drain the same as a chest tube?
No. Ethicon describes Blake drains as a smaller, more flexible alternative to rigid chest tubes in some uses; the choice is clinical. See what is a chest tube.
Sources
- Ethicon US, LLC. BLAKE Silicone Drains brochure 050018-210813 (2021), checked 2026-10-29. Brochure PDF
- Johnson & Johnson MedTech. BLAKE Drains and J-VAC Reservoirs, checked 2026-10-29.
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Jackson-Pratt or Blake Drain Care (rev. 4/22), checked 2026-10-29.
