The efficacy of prophylactic drain placement in laparoscopic total gastrectomy: a retrospective study

Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of prophylactic drain placement in laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG). Ninety-four patients with gastric cancer who underwent LTG between December 2007 and December 2014 were enrolled in this study. A tube drain was placed in 29 patients after considering it necessary by operators; whereas no tube drain was placed in remaining patients. All patients were classified into either the drain or the no-drain group and were investigated for clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes. Overall, complications occurred in 15 patients and were not significantly different between the drain and no-drain groups [5(17.2%) vs. 10 (15.4%) patients]. No significant difference was observed in median duration of postoperative hospital stay between the drain and no-drain groups (12 vs. 12 days). There was no significant difference in the duration of hospital stay regardless of the presence of drains in both groups of patients who developed complications (with drai...