Nephrostomy Tube Home Care

Nephrostomy Tube Home Care

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What is a nephrostomy tube?

This tube lets urine drain directly from your child’s kidney.  The urine drains into a drainage bag.

Home care instructions 

Dressing changes

  • The staff will talk with you about how often to change your child’s dressing.
  • Change the dressing if it gets wet. After the area is dry, put on a clean dressing.
  • Your child’s doctor or nurse will show you how to put on the dressing.

Drainage bag

  • Attach the bag to your child's clothes with a safety pin.
  • Empty the bag before it is half full. This keeps it from getting too heavy.

Bathing

  • Your child should not take a tub bath or shower until the doctor says it is okay to do so. Your child may have sponge baths. 

ALERT

Call your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic if you have any questions or concerns or if your child has:

  • Not had any drainage from the tube for more than 2 hours or overnight.  Before you call the doctor, make sure the tube is not kinked.
  • An increase of blood in the urine. Some blood may be present for several days. 
  • Redness or green/yellow drainage at the tube site. Some redness is normal.
  • The drain falls out. Put a gauze dressing over the drain site before calling.
  • Signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection or has pain in the side.
  • A temperature over 101.5°F (38.5°C).
  • Cloudy urine that does not clear up when they drink more fluids.
  • Urine leaking around the nephrostomy tube.
  • Special health care needs that were not covered by this information.
 

Draft Number: 1154Revision: October 21, 2025

This content was created to help you care for your child and/or family member. It does not take the place of medical care. Talk with your healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.