Role of Routine Subhepatic Abdominal Drain Placement following Uncomplicated Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Prospective Randomised Study

Introduction: Routine abdominal drainage after laparoscopy cholecystectomy is an issue of considerable debate. Reason for draining is to detect early bile/blood leak and allow CO2 insufflate during laparoscopy to escape via drain site thereby decreased shoulder tip pain and post-operative nausea and vomiting. But some studies show no difference in post-operative nausea / vomiting/pain between drain and no drain group. Aim: To assess the role of drains following uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Materials and Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Hundred patients of symptomatic gallstones satisfying the selection and exclusion criteria, undergoing uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in this study, 50 cases with drains in right subhepatic space (Group I) and 50 cases without drains (Group II). Both groups were compared in terms of post-operative shoulder pain, analgesic requirement, nausea and vomiting, hospital stay and analgesic requirement in patient with drains and without drains. SPSS version 16.0 (Chi-Square Test and Fisher-Exact Test) were used for statistical analysis. Results: In this study, average operative time in both the groups was same (p-value 0.977). There was more incidence of nausea /vomiting in no drain group than in drain group. Shoulder tip pain was lower in drain group in first 12 hours post-operative. However, after 12 hours, drain group had higher shoulder tip pain than no drain group. Analgesic requirement was higher in no drain group upto 12 hours after which it was higher in drain group (statistically not significant). In terms of hospital stay patients in drain group had a longer stay in hospital as compared to no drain group (2.96 vs 2.26; p < 0.001 statistically significant). Conclusion: Use of drains in uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not advantageous; its role in reducing postoperative nausea/vomiting is insignificant. It increases postoperative shoulder tip pain and hospital stay. Therefore, routine use of drains cannot be justified as it increases morbidity without significant advantage.