Drains in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Are they necessary?

To assess the postoperative complications in patients who underwent elective thyroid or parathyroid surgery without postoperative drainage. During a 6-year period all patients who met study criteria were prospectively evaluated. General community and tertiary referral center. Fifty-seven patients un...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inArchives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery Vol. 121; no. 9; p. 981
Main Authors Wax, M K, Valiulis, A P, Hurst, M K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.09.1995
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Drainage
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Parathyroid Diseases - surgery
Prospective Studies
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Retrospective Studies
Thyroid Diseases - surgery
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:To assess the postoperative complications in patients who underwent elective thyroid or parathyroid surgery without postoperative drainage. During a 6-year period all patients who met study criteria were prospectively evaluated. General community and tertiary referral center. Fifty-seven patients undergoing thyroid surgery and eight patients undergoing parathyroid surgery were evaluated. Twenty-four patients were excluded because drains were placed postoperatively. Reasons for exclusion included presence of a large dead space, substernal goiter, extensive neck dissection for malignant neoplasm, and large goiters. Major complications consisted of a hematoma requiring reexploration in one patient, and a recurrent nerve palsy in one patient. Minor complications consisted of temporary hypocalcemia (three), seroma (one), and superior flap edema that resolved in 3 months (20). Routine prophylactic drainage in a select patient population is unnecessary after uncomplicated thyroid or parathyroid surgery.
ISSN:0886-4470
DOI:10.1001/archotol.1995.01890090025004