[Drainage after thyroid surgery: 264 patients].
OBJECTIVE
A prospective study was conducted in 1996-1997 in 100 patients who underwent thyroid surgery and who were randomly assigned to receive drainage or not. No statistical difference in complication rate was observed. The aim of the present retrospective study was to assess the consequences of this attitude in patients undergoing surgery since that time and to determine the number of postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, and type of thyroidectomy where cervical drains still appear to be indicated.


METHODS
Total or partial thyroid surgery was performed in 264 patients between June 1997 and October 2000. Neck dissection was associated with 24 patients.


RESULTS
Cervical drains were used in 29 patients (10.9%). Postoperative complications were comparable to those commonly reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Except for neck dissection and mediastinal extension, thyroidectomy can be safely performed without drainage. This attitude reduces the overall hospital stay.
Joudinaud
T
T
Service ORL, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Poissy/Saint-Germain en Laye 20, rue Armagis 78105 Saint Germain en Laye, Paris, Cedex, France.
Corre
F L
FL
Pagès
J C
JC
Renou
G
G
Deraedt
S
S
D000328:Adult; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*