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Review
. 1995 Sep;121(9):981-3.
doi: 10.1001/archotol.1995.01890090025004.

Drains in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Are they necessary?

M K Wax  1 , A P Valiulis, M K Hurst
Affiliations
Review

Drains in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Are they necessary?

M K Wax et al. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1995 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the postoperative complications in patients who underwent elective thyroid or parathyroid surgery without postoperative drainage.

Design: During a 6-year period all patients who met study criteria were prospectively evaluated.

Setting: General community and tertiary referral center.

Patients: 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.

Results: 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).

Conclusion: Routine prophylactic drainage in a select patient population is unnecessary after uncomplicated thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

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