Is prophylactic placement of drains necessary after subtotal gastrectomy?

Table 1 Demographics and clinical characteristics of the patients n (%)

Characteristics	Drain group	No-drain group	P value
	(n = 56)	(n = 52)
Age (yr)	54.34 ± 11.23	57.54 ± 13.45	0.859
Sex (male:female	36:20	33:19	0.864
Tumor stage			0.468
IA	4 (7.14)	3 (5.76)
IB	6 (10.71)	4 (9.61)
II	11 (19.64)	13 (25.00)
IIIA	11 (19.64)	10 (19.23)
IIIB	9 (16.07)	10 (19.23)
IV	15 (26.78)	12 (23.07)
Operation type			0.284
Radical	38 (67.85)	37 (71.15)
Palliative	18 (32.14)	15 (28.84)
LN dissection			0.352
D1	20 (35.71)	17 (32.69)
D2	36 (64.28)	35 (67.31)

Table 2 Comparison of surgical outcomes between the two groups

Surgical outcomes	Drain group	No-drain group	P value
	(n = 56)	(n = 52)
Operating time (min)	171.4 ± 42	155.6 ± 39	0.096
Passage of flatus (POD)	3.67 ± 0.57	3.52 ± 0.95	0.495
Initiation of soft diet (POD)	4.87 ± 0.72	4.82 ± 0.84	0.314
Hospital stay (POD)	9.32 ± 2.21	8.39 ± 2.35	0.402
Complications, n (%)			0.324
None	44 (78.57)	42 (80.76)
Wound infection	4 (7.14)	4 (7.69)
Pulmonary infection	7 (12.50)	6 (11.53)
Wound dehiscence	2 (3.57)	2 (3.84)
Fever	7 (12.50)	6 (11.53)
Anastomotic leak	1 (1.78)	1 (1.92)
Others1	8 (10.71)	6 (7.69)
Drain-related complications	4 (7.14)	0
Hospital mortality, n (%)	3 (5.35)	2 (3.84)	0.284

POD: Post-operative days.

¹Abdominal distention, nausea, vomiting.