title: Surgical drains can be safely avoided in lateral neck dissections for papillary thyroid cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Drains are widely used in lateral neck dissections (LNDs). Our objective was to compare outcomes of LNDs for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with and without drains.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixty-five LNDs in 129 patients operated on from July 2001 to October 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. LNDs were divided according to the number of excised lymph nodes as follows: group A < median and group B > median. Further categorization was based on the use of a drain. Main outcome measures were wound complications requiring intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred two LNDs were performed with a drain and 63 without. The overall rate of wound complications was 3%. There was no significant difference in complication rate between the drain and the non-drain group (group A: 1.8% vs 0; group B: 2.2% vs 7.9%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant seromas/hematomas are rare complications of LNDs. Patients who undergo LND for PTC without a drain show no significantly increased rate of these complications.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Surgery Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mekel
authors.forename: Antonia E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: Randall D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Gaz
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Randolph
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richer
authors.forename: Zvi H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Carrie C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lubitz
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nehs
authors.forename: Sareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parangi
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hodin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D049291:Seroma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome