Laparoscopy in Acute Cholecystitis: To Drain or Not to Drain

Introduction: Regarding cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis, there is still debate regarding drain insertion. The aim of the present study was to detect if there is a beneficial added value to drain the abdomen in case of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. Patients and Methods: A total of 120 patients diagnosed having acute cholecystitis were enrolled to this study and were divided according to the drain insertion into two main groups; with drain (group A) and without drain (group B). End Points: The primary endpoint was the presence of operative field fluid collection at abdominal ultrasonography when performed twenty four hours after surgery. Secondary endpoints included postoperative abdominal, length of hospital stay and wound infection. Results: Concerning the demographic data, there was no statistical significant difference between the two groups regarding age, sex and body mass index. The mean operative time, hospital stay, postoperative pain and wound infection rate were higher in drain versus no drain group. Conclusion: The present study showed that there was no added benefit for prophylactic drain insertion after cholecystectomy for acute calculous cholecystitis. Drain insertion may be a cause of delayed discharge and prolonged hospital stay after laparoscopic procedures. Increased intensity of postoperative pain and wound infection are claimed to be due to drain insertion.