When caring for a postoperative cholecystectomy client, the nurse assesses patency and documents drainage of the T-tube. The nurse recognizes that the expected amount of drainage during the first 24 hours postoperatively is:

During the first 24 hours after surgery, the drainage is normally 300-500 mL and then decreases to about 200 mL in 24 hours during the next 3-4 days. This range is the amount of drainage after the first 24 hours postoperatively. During the first 24 hours, it is 300-500 mL. During the first 24 hours after surgery, this range is the expected amount of drainage. The expected amount of drainage during the first 24 hours is 300-500 mL. An output of >500 mL should be reported to the physician, because an occlusion of some type, caused by a retained gallstone or an inflammatory process within the biliary drainage system, is evident.