Does adrenaline spraying over thyroidectomy area reduce bleeding?
BACKGROUND
Means to prevent and control intra- or postoperative bleeding remain a topic of utmost importance in thyroidectomy. In this randomised clinical trial, we used adrenaline spraying to see if it helps bleeding control and reduces drainage and hematoma formation after thyroidectomy.


METHODS
After total thyroidectomy, 1 mg/ml adrenaline solution in 10 ml saline was sprayed all over the operation area by a syringe in 40 patients of "Adrenaline (+) Group". In the other 40 patients in "Adrenaline (-) Group", only standart total thyroidectomy was performed. Drainage amounts of 24 hours were recorded.


RESULTS
Among 80 patients, 66 (82.5%) were female and 14 (17.5%) were male. The daily drainage amounts of the Adrenaline (+) Group were found statistically significantly lower than the Adrenaline (-) Group (p<0.05). In both of the groups, thyroid volumes were significantly correlated with the drainage amounts. "p" values were 0.008 and <0.001 in Adrenaline (+) and Adrenaline (-) Groups, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary experience using adrenaline has been encouraging and it is useful as an adjunct to thyroid surgery in order to prevent hemorrhagia and give up drain placement. But prospective randomized trials using adequate patient numbers are still needed to validate efficacy and safety.
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Yeliz E
YE
Ersoy
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Erhan
E
Aysan
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Aysenur
A
Meric
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Huseyin
H
Kadioglu
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Merve B
MB
Cengiz
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Suleyman
S
Bozkurt
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Naim
N
Memmi
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Gokhan
G
Cipe
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University 34306 Vatan Caddesi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
Mahmut
M
Muslumanoglu
Adrenaline; bleeding; hematoma; thyroid; thyroidectomy