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. 2022 Dec 6;14(12):e32259.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.32259. eCollection 2022 Dec.

Value of Drains in Soft-Tissue Tumour Surgery: A Specialist Regional Centre Experience

Omar El-Omar  1 , Umair Akbani  1 , Abdelrahim Abdelrahman  1 , Amir R Akbari  2 , Umar N Said  3 , Omar M Ismail  4 , Cristian Butaliu  1 , Ashok S Paul  1
Affiliations

Value of Drains in Soft-Tissue Tumour Surgery: A Specialist Regional Centre Experience

Omar El-Omar et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background The mainstay of therapy in most soft-tissue tumours (STTs) is excision. However, this often results in blood/extracellular fluid collection within large dead spaces necessitating the use of surgical drains. Whether meticulous attention to haemostasis, careful closure of dead space, and use of compression bandage obviates the need for drains was investigated. This study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for STTs with and without the use of drains. Methodology A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing STT surgery over five years was undertaken using a regional STT specialist service database. Patients were stratified into the following two groups: compression bandage alone (CB) versus compression bandage with drain (CBD). The chi-square test was used to examine associations with infection, seroma, and haematoma, while the unpaired t-test was used for associations with hospital stay and time to wound healing. The unpaired t-test with Bonferroni correction was used to account for tumour dimensions across both groups. Results A total of 81 CB and 25 CBD patients were included. The mean hospital stay was significantly lower in CB compared to CBD (4.9 days, SD = 8.574 vs. 9.8 days, SD = 7.647, p = 0.0125). None of the other variables was significantly different between the two groups, including infection (21.3% vs. 24.0%, p = 0.7804), seroma (25.0% vs. 36.0%, p = 0.2865), haematoma (0.026% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.2325), and time to wound healing (55.8 days, SD = 63.59 vs. 42.3 days, SD = 58.88, p = 0.3648). Conclusions Our findings suggest that the use of drains in patients undergoing STT tumour surgery lengthens hospital stay without reducing the incidence of postoperative complications/time to wound healing. A larger, prospective trial is needed.

Keywords: compression bandage; drain; infection; sarcoma; soft-tissue tumour.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The mean hospital stay in the CB versus CBD group.
The mean hospital stay in patients without drains was significantly lower than patients with drains: 4.98 days versus 9.84 days, respectively, p = 0.0125. CB = compression bandage alone; CBD = compression bandage with drain
Figure 2
Figure 2. The incidence of SSI in the CB versus CBD group.
The presence of a drain did not significantly affect the incidence of SSI in patients with drains versus those without: 21.3% versus 24.0%, respectively, p = 0.7804. CB = compression bandage alone; CBD = compression bandage with drain; SSI = surgical site infection
Figure 3
Figure 3. The incidence of seroma in the CB versus CBD group.
The presence of a drain did not significantly affect the incidence of seroma in patients with drains versus those without: 25.0% versus 36.0%, respectively, p = 0.2865. CB = compression bandage alone; CBD = compression bandage with drain
Figure 4
Figure 4. The incidence of haematoma in the CB versus CBD group.
The presence of a drain did not significantly affect the incidence of haematoma in patients with drains versus those without: 0.026% versus 8.0%, respectively, p = 0.2325. CB = compression bandage alone; CBD = compression bandage with drain
Figure 5
Figure 5. Time to wound healing in the CB versus CBD group.
The presence of a drain did not significantly affect time to wound healing in patients with drains versus those without: 55.8 days versus 42.3 days, respectively, p = 0.3648. CB = compression bandage alone; CBD = compression bandage with drain
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