title: Non-continuous versus continuous wound drainage after total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  So far, controversy still exists regarding the use of non-continuous or continuous wound drainage after total knee arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of these two drainage techniques after total knee arthroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the established electronic literature databases of Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and WANFANG. Nine RCTs including a total of 761 patients involving 811 knees were eligible for this meta-analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that non-continuous drainage was associated with less haemoglobin loss (WMD,  -0.43, 95 % CI -0.62 to -0.24; P < 0.00001) and postoperative visible blood loss (WMD,  -305.09, 95% CI -408.10 to -202.08; P < 0.00001) compared with continuous drainage. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of range of motion (WMD, 0.99, 95% CI -1.01 to 2.98; P = 0.33), incidence of blood transfusion (OR, 0.63, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.06; P = 0.80) or postoperative complications (OR, 1.09, 95% CI 0.35 to 3.40; P = 0.89).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The existing evidence indicates that non-continuous drainage can achieve less haemoglobin loss (especially the four- to six-hour drain clamping) and postoperative visible blood loss with no increased risk of postoperative complications compared with continuous drainage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, 100730, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qianyu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Xisheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins
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