THYROID SURGERY WITH OR WITHOUT USE OF DRAIN- A COMPARITIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: The routine use of drain after thyroidectomy arises from the past in order to decrease the risk of acute airway obstruction caused by hemorrhage or postoperative complications.

Objective: To compare the feasibility of patients undergoing thyroid surgery with and without placement of drain in terms of hospital stay, operative pain score, amount of fluid collection in the neck and postoperative complications.

Methodology: This study was conducted at Jaulkar ENT Hospital, Raipur; from 2007 to 2018. Important variables of the study were duration of hospital stay, post operative pain score, amount of fluid collection in the wound as detected on ultrasound and postoperative complications. Visual Analogue scale was used to assess postoperative pain on completion of 24 hours.

Results: The study included 560 patients; The duration of hospital stay was found less in the patients without drain. The average length of hospital stay was 1.10 (1?3) ± 0.33 days for group 1 and 1.53 (1?6) ± 0.80 days for group 2. There was a statistically significant difference noted. The mean follow-up period was 2.60± 0.51 months for group 1 and 2.80± 0.71 for group 2. Comparitively the post operative complications found to be very less in Group 2 than Group 1. Suture reaction, transient recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and wound infection observed as most prevalent post operative complications in both groups.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the current practice of post-surgical drainage in thyroidectomy did not offer any significant advantage. On the contrary, post-surgical complications and duration of hospital stay was higher in patients in the drain group.

Keywords: Thyroid surgery, Drain, Surgical outcomes, Hematoma, Postoperative complications.