title: Is suction drainage an effective means of preventing hematoma in thyroid surgery? A meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of suction drainage in preventing postoperative hematoma formation in thyroid surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a meta-analysis using only randomized controlled trials in which the incidence of post-thyroidectomy hematoma was compared directly in patients with and without suction drains (eight studies since 1980; N = 944). The odds ratio (OR) with respective confidence intervals (CIs) using the fixed effects model was reported. We used an OR < 1.0 as being in favour of treatment (ie, the use of suction drains).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our meta-analysis, there was no statistically significant difference between the rates of post-thyroidectomy hematoma whether or not suction drains were used when the results were combined using a fixed effects model (OR 1.04, 95% CI-1.93), with p = .90. In this comparison, a fixed effects model was used rather than a random effects model because there was no statistically significant heterogeneity (chi2 = 6.26, p = .28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the use of suction drains in thyroid surgery to prevent postoperative hematoma is not evidence based.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Ottawa, Ontario. mjcorsten@yahoo.ca
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corsten
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Ameen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alherabi
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013396:Suction / Q000379:methods*; D013965:Thyroidectomy