• Seung Hoon Woo, Jin Pyeong Kim, Jung Je Park, Hyun Seok Shim, Sang Ha Lee, Ho Joong Lee, Seong Jun Won, Hee Young Son, Rock Bum Kim, and Young-Ik Son.
• Department of 1Otolaryngology and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.
• Yonsei Med. J. 2013 Jan 1; 54 (1): 204-8.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to compare a negative pressure drain with a natural drain in order to determine whether a negative pressure drainage tube causes an increase in the drainage volume.Materials And MethodsSixty-two patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were enrolled in the study between March 2010 and August 2010 at Gyeongsang National University Hospital. The patients were prospectively and randomly assigned to two groups, a negative pressure drainage group (n=32) and natural drainage group (n=30). Every 3 hours, the volume of drainage was checked in the two groups until the tube was removed.ResultsThe amount of drainage during the first 24 hours postoperatively was 41.68 ± 3.93 mL in the negative drain group and 25.3 ± 2.68 mL in the natural drain group (p<0.001). After 24 additional hours, the negative drain group was 35.19 ± 4.26 mL and natural drain groups 21.53 ± 2.90 mL (p<0.001). However, the drainage at postoperative day 3 was not statistically different between the two groups. In addition, the vocal cord palsy and temporary and permanent hypocalcemia were not different between the two groups.ConclusionThese results indicate that a negative pressure drain may increase the amount of drainage during the first 24-48 hours postoperatively. Therefore, it is not necessary to place a closed suction drain when only a total thyroidectomy is done.

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