The role of drainage after thyroid surgery. Is it mandatory?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the comparative analysis of usefulness of drains after thyroid surgery. Design and duration: A prospective randomized experimental study conducted over a period of one year, from April 2006 to April 2007. Setting: Surgical Unit-I, Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Methodology: A total of 60 patients presented with Goiter randomly allocated equally to drain and non drain groups. The surgeon was informed of the group just before the closure of wound. Ultrasonography of the neck was done post operatively on Day-1 and Day-4 by same sonologist, each time to assess the fluid collection in thyroid bed. Any change in voice, wound infection or respiratory distress was also recorded. The data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics.  volume of resected thyroid gland, type of procedure and time of operation. Overall fluid collection is more in drain group assessed by USG on Day-1 (P=.00) and day Day-4 (P=.04) as compare to non-drain group. Regarding post-operative complications three patients (10%) in drain group and two (6.7%) in non-drain group had change in voice. Three patients (10%) in drain group had prolonged hospital stay as compare to non-drain group in which no patient recorded. Two patients(6.7%)in none drain group developed seroma. Conclusions: putting of drains after thyroid surgery do not show any advantage to non drain group regarding peri-operative complications, rather hospital stay is more in patients of drain group. Results: Both groups were evenly balanced according   to   age,   gender,  size  of  thyroid gland.