Feasibility and Usefulness of No Drain Technique During Parotidectomy

Introduction : No drain technique during parotidectomy had been introduced to reduce postoperative morbidity and to minimize hospital stay in a few previous publications. Since the authors have applied this technique in select patients for several years, we wanted to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of no drain parotidectomy. Material & Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 96 patients who underwent superficial or total parotidectomy by one surgeon from May 2005 to July 2012. The decision on drain insertion was made by the operator at the end of the surgery. The patients were categorized as drain insertion group and no drain group. Results : The patients who have smaller tumors and benign lesions were more frequently chosen into no drain group. Hospital stay was shorter in no drain group than in drain insertion group. Although no drain group showed increased number of acute complications such as seroma and hematoma, the complications were mild and could be controlled easily at the outpatient clinic. Conclusion : No drain technique during parotidectomy could be done relatively safely in select patients and it could reduce hospital stay.

무배액관 이하선 절제술의 실행 가능성과 유용성