What is a skin leak?
- A skin leak is when urine (pee) is draining around your nephrostomy tube where it enters your skin.
- This can be caused by:
- Obstruction (something is blocking the tube)
- Displacement (the tube has moved from where it is supposed to be)
What if I have a skin leak?
Call your care team during working hours (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).
- You may be asked about your leakage volume and output.
- Leakage volume is how much urine is coming out around your nephrostomy tube. We know it may be hard to know how much.
- Output is how much urine is going into your bag.
Keep your skin dry until we can see you.
- Put dry gauze on and around the skin leak. Cover the gauze with clear, waterproof tape (such as Tegaderm™).
- You can also buy a colostomy or ileostomy bag if a pharmacy near you has this supply. You can put your nephrostomy tubing in the bag and put the sticky side of the bag onto your skin.
- The care team can talk you through this if you are able to get a bag.
- If a pharmacy near you does not have a colostomy or ileostomy bag, make sure you change your gauze dressing often. We want to make sure your skin stays dry until we can see you.
What is a connection leak?
- A connection leak is when there is a leak where the tubing connects to the bag or the stopcock.
- This can happen because:
- Connections are not tight.
- Connection pieces broke.
- The stopcock is not turned to the right spot.
Broken and cracked
What if I have a connection leak?
Make sure all connections are tight.
- If you do not have a stopcock, check the connection between your nephrostomy tube and the urine collection bag tubing.
- If you do have a stopcock:
- Check the connection between your nephrostomy tube and the stopcock.
- Check the connection between the stopcock and the urine collection bag tubing.
Check your stopcock.
- Check that the stopcock is in the right place.
- Take out the stopcock and connect your nephrostomy tube right to your urine collection bag tubing.
or
Put a new stopcock in.
What if I cannot find the leak?
Send the care team a picture of where your nephrostomy tube enters your skin and the tubing with a message in MyChart.
We will help you.
What is a bag leak?
- A bag leak is when urine is leaking from the bag.
- This can happen because:
- Connections are not tight.
- The bag is damaged.
What if I have a bag leak?
- Check that the connections to the bag are tight.
- If there is still a leak, put on a new bag.