Connection between the type of drainage and sepsis in thyroid surgery

Drainage in thyroid surgery, although still controversial, is used at our service routinely, as it guarantees the output of serum, sometimes abundant after thyroidectomy, and allows the immediate check of hemorrhage. It is nevertheless known that the presence of drainage can favour the occurrence of infection of the surgical bed. Through a randomized trial, we tested the incidence of sepsis after thyroidectomy, using in one group a double open Silastic drain and in another group a double aspirative drain. We registered 3 cases of wound infection and 4 cases of seroma in the group treated with open drainage versus one case of wound infection and 2 cases of seroma in the group treated with aspirative drainage. Such difference, although evident, did not result significant. Nevertheless, it is our opinion to conclude that the aspirative draining system guarantees a better sterility of the surgical wound, and therefore a lower incidence of wound complications.