Is prophylactic placement of drains necessary after subtotal gastrectomy?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the evidence-based values of prophylactic drainage in gastric cancer surgery.


METHODS
One hundred and eight patients, who underwent subtotal gastrectomy with D1 or D2 lymph node dissection for gastric cancer between January 2001 and December 2005, were divided into drain group or no-drain group. Surgical outcome and post-operative complications within four weeks were compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
No significant differences were observed between the drain group and no-drain group in terms of operating time (171 +/- 42 min vs 156 +/- 39 min), number of post-operative days until passage of flatus (3.7 +/- 0.5 d vs 3.5 +/- 1.0 d), number of post-operative days until initiation of soft diet (4.9 +/- 0.7 d vs 4.8 +/- 0.8 d), length of post-operative hospital stay (9.3 +/- 2.2 d vs 8.4 +/- 2.4 d), mortality rate (5.4% vs 3.8%), and overall post-operative complication rate (21.4% vs 19.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
Prophylactic drainage placement is not necessary after subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer since it does not offer additional benefits for the patients.
Department of Surgery, Patan Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Manoj
M
Kumar
Seung Bong
SB
Yang
Vijay Kumar
VK
Jaiswal
Jay N
JN
Shah
Manish
M
Shreshtha
Rajesh
R
Gongal
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome