Prophylactic drains in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy: are they always necessary?

Prophylactic drains have always been a useful tool to detect early complications and prevent postoperative fluid collections, particularly in gastrointestinal surgery. Recently, the utilization of such drains has been debated, due to mounting evidence that they could be harmful rather than beneficial. Based on recent published articles, Liu et al reported that the routine use of prophylactic drains in total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy might not be necessary for all patients. Herein, we express our opinion regarding this interesting publication.