title: Routine drainage is not necessary after laparoscopic gastric bypass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Routine intra-abdominal drainage has been recommended for detecting surgical complications, such as anastomotic leaks or intra-abdominal hemorrhage, after laparoscopic gastric bypass for morbid obesity. The aim of this study was to determine whether routine drainage after laparoscopic gastric bypass is indeed necessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass with intra-abdominal drainage (D-group) were compared with those without drainage (N-group) in a retrospective study. The main outcome measures were postoperative course and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed in the postoperative complications. Both groups had one major complication of leakage (1/90, 1.1%). Minor complications occurred in six D-group patients (6/90, 6.7%) and eight N-group patients (8/90, 8.9%) (P=0.578). No difference was observed in postoperative analgesic dose usage (mean ± SD: 63 ± 37 mg vs 60 ± 31 mg; P=0.963) or length of stay hospital (5.2 ± 2.6 d vs 4.7 ± 1.8 d; P=0.135). However, the N-group had a shorter time to flatus passage compared to the D-group (1.6 ± 0.7 d vs 1.2 ± 0.5 d; P=0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine abdominal drainage is not necessary after a successful laparoscopic gastric bypass for morbidly obese patients. Drainage omission may contribute to a quicker recovery without additional surgical complications.
authors: Department of Surgery, Min-Sheng General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: C C
authors: CC
authors: Chang
authors: W J
authors: WJ
authors: Lee
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Ser
authors: Y C
authors: YC
authors: Lee
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Chen
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Tsou
authors: J C
authors: JC
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004322:Drainage; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome