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Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach for Thyroid Lobectomy
Published on: May 12, 2023
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Comparison of drain versus no-drain thyroidectomy: a meta-analysis
Jiangke Tian1, Lei Li2, Peng Liu3
1Department of Ultrasonography, 302 Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100039, China.
Summary
Routine thyroid drains after thyroidectomy do not improve outcomes and may increase infection risk and hospital stay. This meta-analysis suggests avoiding drains may be beneficial for patients undergoing thyroid surgery.
Area of Science:
- Endocrine Surgery
- Surgical Outcomes Research
Background:
- Thyroidectomy is a common procedure.
- Post-surgical drains are frequently used despite limited evidence of benefit.
- Concerns exist regarding potential complications associated with drains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate patient outcomes with post-surgical drainage versus no drainage after thyroidectomy.
- To determine if surgical drains offer advantages in thyroidectomy procedures.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of randomized and two-arm studies.
- Included studies compared thyroidectomy with and without post-surgery drainage.
- Searched Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases.
- Analyzed outcomes including infection, hematoma, hemorrhage, hypoparathyroidism, nerve palsy, seroma, and hospital stay.
Main Results:
- Patients with drains had a significantly higher postoperative infection rate (OR = 2.94).
- The drain group experienced a longer hospital stay (mean difference = 1.16 days).
- No significant differences were found for hematoma, hemorrhage, hypoparathyroidism, nerve palsy, or seroma.
Conclusions:
- Current practice of routine thyroid drains in thyroidectomy offers no significant advantage.
- Post-surgical drainage may increase infection rates and prolong hospital stays.
- Evidence suggests reconsidering the routine use of drains in thyroidectomy.
