Figure 1.

Postoperative course in 342 consecutive patients submitted to laparoscopic hepatectomy who did (n = 44, drainage group) and did not (n = 298, no-drainage group) receive prophylactic drainage. Postoperatively, additional procedures (percutaneous drainage and/or haemostasis/lavage by reoperation) were required in five patients in the drainage group and 18 patients in the no-drainage group. ^aInflammatory reaction (fever of >38 °C and white blood cell count of >100 000/μl and rising) not associated with abdominal fluid collection