Drains in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Are they necessary?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the postoperative complications in patients who underwent elective thyroid or parathyroid surgery without postoperative drainage.

DESIGN

During a 6-year period all patients who met study criteria were prospectively evaluated.

SETTING

General community and tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Fifty-seven patients undergoing thyroid surgery and eight patients undergoing parathyroid surgery were evaluated. Twenty-four patients were excluded because drains were placed postoperatively. Reasons for exclusion included presence of a large dead space, substernal goiter, extensive neck dissection for malignant neoplasm, and large goiters.

RESULTS

Major complications consisted of a hematoma requiring reexploration in one patient, and a recurrent nerve palsy in one patient. Minor complications consisted of temporary hypocalcemia (three), seroma (one), and superior flap edema that resolved in 3 months (20).

CONCLUSION

Routine prophylactic drainage in a select patient population is unnecessary after uncomplicated thyroid or parathyroid surgery.