Penrose drain
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A penrose drain is a surgical device placed in a wound to drain fluid. It consists of a soft rubber tube placed in a wound area, to prevent the build up of fluid.
[edit] Uses
A penrose drain removes fluid from a wound area. Frequently it is put in place by a surgeon after a procedure is complete to prevent the area from accumulating fluid, such as blood, which could serve as a medium for bacteria to grow in. It can also be used to drain cerebrospinal fluid to treat a hydrocephalus patient.
[edit] Criminal use
In 1992, Dr. John Schneeberger of Canada raped one of his sedated patients and left semen on her underwear. He used a penrose drain to hold foreign blood in his arm to evade DNA testing. Police drew Schneeberger's blood and compared its DNA against the crime scene semen DNA on three occasions, never showing a match. His ruse was later discovered, and he was convicted of the crime.
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