East African medical journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Cholecystectomy with and without drainage: a prospective randomised study.
The use of subhepatic intraperitoneal drains was prospectively studied in 100 patients who underwent elective cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones. These patients were randomised to have subhepatic drains (group A, n = 50 patients) or to have no drains (group B, n = 50 patients). There was no difference in the age or sex composition of the two groups. ⋯ Patients in group A tended to have longer post operative hospital stay (mean of 10.2 days) than patients in group B (mean 8.7 days); but the difference between the two groups in this respect was not significant. We conclude that subhepatic intra-peritoneal drains offered no additional advantage in elective cholecystectomy. The evidence we had pointed to their harmful effects.