Postoperative complications of suction drain in patients submitted to 1-level lumbar arthrodesis

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the complications inherent in the use or not of continuous suction drain in postoperative period of patients undergoing 1-level lumbar arthrodesis. Methods: An analytical, comparative, randomized study was performed with a sample of 60 patients submitted to 1-level 360o lumbar arthrodesis with TLIF technique, 30 of whom used the suction drain for three days after surgery and another 30 did not use the suction drain in the postoperative period. The complications that occurred on the 3rd, 14th, and 28th postoperative days of patients of both groups and the Visual Analog Scale for pain were evaluated and compared. The complications assessed were seroma, superficial infection and suture dehiscence. Results: A total of 23.3% surgical wound complications were found, the most frequent being seroma (16%). In total, each group presented seven complications. There were no statistical differences observed in the evaluation of seroma, infection, wound dehiscence on the 3rd, 14th, and 28th postoperative days in both groups. Conclusion: The use or not of suction drain in 1-level lumbar surgeries does not interfere with complications such as seroma, infection, and suture dehiscence.