title: Safety of thyroidectomy and cervical neck dissection without drains.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have reported that drainage after thyroidectomy does not decrease the rate of local postoperative complications. We sought to review the safety of thyroidectomy combined with cervical neck dissection (CND) without drainage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of consecutive patients who underwent thyroidectomy without drainage were retrospectively reviewed. Two groups were defined depending on whether CND was or was not performed. The main outcome was identification of patients with cervical bleeding, hematoma or seroma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 1127 patients (139 who had CND and 988 who did not). Of these, 207 patients (18%) had transient postoperative hypocalcemia, 9 (0.8%) had permanent postoperative hypoparathyroidism, 56 (5%) had transient postoperative hoarseness and 7 (0.6%) had permanent vocal cord paralysis. A total of 44 patients (4%) experienced postoperative hematoma and/or seroma: 8 patients (6%) who had CND and 36 (4%) who did not. There was no major bleeding in the 2 groups; all patients had minor bleeding or seroma not requiring surgical intervention. The postoperative stay in hospital for both groups was 1 day in 92% of patients. Wound infection occurred in 0.8% of all patients: 1 (0.7%) who had CND and 8 (0.8%) who did not. There was no significant difference between the groups in overall perioperative complications or in time of hospital discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyroidectomy without drains is safe and effective, even in combination with CND.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. dbabboud@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abboud
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sleilaty
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rizk
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abadjian
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghorra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000009:adverse effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult