Table 9.
Characteristics of Thyroid and Parathyroid Studies Examining the Relationship between Drains and Surgical Site Infection Surgery
| Authors | Year | Study type | Procedure | Drain type | Drained n (%) | Undrained n (%) | Duration of drainage | Perioperative antibiotic administration | SSI outcome | Cultures | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samraj et al. | 2008 | Meta-analysis | Thyroid surgery | CS | 698 | 688 | – | – | Drain: RR 1.60 (95% CI 0.53–4.83) | – | Reoperation rate not different between groups |
| Schorensanitis et al. | 1998 | RCT | Thyroidectomy | CS | 100 (50.0) | 100 (50.0) | 24–48 hb | 0% | 4.0% vs. 2.0%,a p=NS | – | Postoperative pain score: 6.1±1.2 vs. 3.5±1.6 points,a p=0.001 |
| Tabaqchalii et al. | 1999 | Retrospective review | Thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy | CS | 325 (53.6; 134 in “drain” group, 191 in “selective” group) | 281 (46.4; all in “selective” group) | – | – | 1.5% (“drain”) vs. 0.8% (“selective”), p<0.05 | – | All patients with SSI had drains placed; 3 cases of airway compromise, all in patients with drains |
a
Drained vs. undrained.
b
If output <25 mL/24 h.
CI=confidence interval; CS=closed-suction; NS=not significant; RCT=randomized controlled trial; RR=relative risk; SSI=surgical site infection.