Prophylactic drainage of cholecystectomy: analysis of current views

Despite extensive literature on the merits of prophylactic drainage of cholecystectomy this issue remains extremely controversial. According to tradition most surgeons feel safer placing a drain either routinely or selectively in the gallbladder fossa. On the other hand, some surgeons do not employ drainage at all and even advise against it. If the data in the literature is carefully and critically analysed, no superiority of a particular practice can be concluded with certainty; however, conclusions are often misleading as they usually reflect opinions rather than facts based on data. This article does not attempt to condemn drainage or non-drainage, but rather draws attention to the fact that opinions in this respect have been largely based on equivocal data or invalid conclusions.