Yonsei Med J.  2013 Jan;54(1):204-208. 10.3349/ymj.2013.54.1.204.

Comparison of Natural Drainage Group and Negative Drainage Groups after Total Thyroidectomy: Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

• Woo SH
• Kim JP
• Park JJ
• Shim HS
• Lee SH
• Lee HJ
• Won SJ
• Son HY
• Kim RB
• Son YI

• KMID: 1776939
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2013.54.1.204

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to compare a negative pressure drain with a natural drain in order to determine whether a negative pressure drainage tube causes an increase in the drainage volume.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixty-two patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were enrolled in the study between March 2010 and August 2010 at Gyeongsang National University Hospital. The patients were prospectively and randomly assigned to two groups, a negative pressure drainage group (n=32) and natural drainage group (n=30). Every 3 hours, the volume of drainage was checked in the two groups until the tube was removed.
RESULTS
The amount of drainage during the first 24 hours postoperatively was 41.68+/-3.93 mL in the negative drain group and 25.3+/-2.68 mL in the natural drain group (p<0.001). After 24 additional hours, the negative drain group was 35.19+/-4.26 mL and natural drain groups 21.53+/-2.90 mL (p<0.001). However, the drainage at postoperative day 3 was not statistically different between the two groups. In addition, the vocal cord palsy and temporary and permanent hypocalcemia were not different between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
These results indicate that a negative pressure drain may increase the amount of drainage during the first 24-48 hours postoperatively. Therefore, it is not necessary to place a closed suction drain when only a total thyroidectomy is done.

Keyword

Total thyroidectomy; drainage; papillary thyroid carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Carcinoma/*surgery
Drainage/*instrumentation/*methods
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Postoperative Care/methods
Postoperative Complications/surgery
Postoperative Period
Pressure
Prospective Studies
Reproducibility of Results
Surgical Procedures, Operative
Thyroid Neoplasms/*surgery
Thyroidectomy/*instrumentation/*methods
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Enrollment and analysis of patients.

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  Fig. 2 The amount of surgical wound drainage was compared at every 3 hours between a natural drain group (n=30) and a negative drain group (n=32) of patients who received total thyroidectomy. The amount of drainage during the postoperative every 3 hours significantly increased in a negative drain group within first 24 hour (*p<0.05, independent t-test).

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  Fig. 3 The amount of surgical wound drainage was compared at every 24 hours between a natural drain group (n=30) and a negative drain group (n=32) of patients who received total thyroidectomy. The amount of drainage during the first and second 24 hours significantly increased in a negative drain group (*p<0.05, Student t-test).

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