After removing a dressing on a heel pressure sore, which finding best describes serous drainage?

• A. One-inch pressure sore draining serous fluid
• B. Bright red drainage
• C. Purulent drainage
• D. Bloody drainage

Answer: (A)

Serous drainage is thin, watery fluid that is pale yellow or clear, largely consisting of serum from plasma. When you remove a dressing and see this type of fluid from a heel pressure sore, it signals a healing stage rather than infection. The fluid is light and non-purulent, unlike purulent drainage which is thick and pus-like, or bloody/sanguineous drainage which is bright red or contains visible blood. A small amount of clear or pale yellow serous fluid on the wound or dressing is a normal finding during the healing process.