Impact of Drain Placement on Short-Term Postoperative Outcomes in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy With Intraoperative...

Intraoperative bile spillage during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) frequently prompts drain placement. However, its utility in mitigating postoperative infectious complications and reducing hospitalization remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of drain placement on short-term postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing LC with bile spillage.

A retrospective analysis of 99 patients undergoing LC with intraoperative bile spillage between January 2020 and December 2024 was performed. Patients were categorized into the drain group (n = 72) and no-drain group (n = 27). Propensity score matching was employed to investigate short-term postoperative outcomes.

Infectious complication rates were comparable between the drain group (5.6%) and the no-drain group (3.7%) (p = 1.000). The hospitalization period was significantly longer in the drain group than in the no-drain group (p < 0.001). Following propensity score matching (19 patients per group), infectious complications rates remained similar (5.3% in the drain group vs. 0.0% in the no-drain group, p = 1.000), while postoperative hospitalization was tended to be prolonged in the drain group (p = 0.087).

Drain placement in patients undergoing LC with bile spillage might not influence infectious complication rates but might be associated with extended hospitalization.