Patent ID: 7322971

Claim:
A surgical drain system for draining wound fluids and sensing a physiological property of a tissue in a patient's body comprising: a) a surgical drain configured to be fully implanted in a patient's body, to rest against the surface of at least one tissue in the patient's body, and to drain wound fluids from the vicinity of the tissue, wherein the surgical drain is not configured to penetrate the tissue, comprising: i. a first surface located on an outer side of the surgical drain; ii. a drain portion configured to rest against the tissue within the body; iii. a plurality of drain holes spaced along substantially the entire length of the drain portion; b) a first element branching out from the first surface of the surgical drain and configured for insertion in the tissue inside the patient's body and to emit energy into the tissue; c) a second element branching out from the first surface of the surgical drain and configured for insertion in the tissue inside the patient's body and to receive energy from the tissue; and d) a tube in fluid communication with the surgical drain configured to transport the drained wound fluids out of the body.