Drainage in uncomplicated thyroid and parathyroid surgery.

A randomized study of the value of drainage in thyroid and parathyroid surgery is presented. Fifty patients were provided with surgical drains and another fifty patients were allocated to a control group without drainage. Complications were few in either group and the rate of subjective discomfort from the collar incision was equally low in both groups. The observations suggest that the provision of drainage is not necessary after uncomplicated neck surgery.