Drain after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A randomized multicentre controlled trial
Surgical Endoscopy, 05/08/2012
Picchio M et al. – The present study was unable to prove that the drain was useful in elective, uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy .
Methods- After laparoscopic gallbladder removal, 53 patients were randomized to have a suction drain positioned in the subhepatic space and 53 patients to have a sham drain.
- The primary outcome measure was the presence of subhepatic fluid collection at abdominal ultrasonography, performed 24 h after surgery.
- Secondary outcome measures were postoperative abdominal and shoulder tip pain, use of analgesics, nausea, vomiting, and morbidity.
- Subhepatic fluid collection was not found in 45 patients (84.9 %) in group A and in 46 patients (86.8 %) in group B (difference 1.9 (95 % confidence interval -11.37 to 15.17; P = 0.998).
- No significant difference in visual analogue scale scores with respect to abdominal and shoulder pain, use of parenteral ketorolac, nausea, and vomiting were found in either group.
- Two (1.9 %) significant hemorrhagic events occurred postoperatively.
- Wound infection was observed in three patients (5.7 %) in group A and two patients (3.8 %) in group B (difference 1.9 (95 % CI -6.19 to 9.99; P = 0.997).



