What do systematic reviews say?

Drain use vs No drain

• Prophylactic abdominal drainage for pancreatic surgery 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 179 participants
  Low

Active drain vs passive drain

• Prophylactic abdominal drainage for pancreatic surgery 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 223 participants
  Very low

Drain vs No drain

It is very uncertain whether drain changes 30‐day mortality Death during the compared with no drain (very low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage versus no drainage post‐gastrectomy for gastric cancer 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.73 [0.38, 7.84]
  4 studies · 438 participants
  Very low

Drain vs No drain

• Abdominal drainage versus no drainage post‐gastrectomy for gastric cancer 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 4 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

It is very uncertain whether drain changes re‐operations Re‐operations during the compared with no drain (very low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage versus no drainage post‐gastrectomy for gastric cancer 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.49 [0.71, 8.74]
  2 studies · 230 participants
  Very low

Drain vs No drain

• Abdominal drainage versus no drainage post‐gastrectomy for gastric cancer 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 378 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

• Abdominal drainage versus no drainage post‐gastrectomy for gastric cancer 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 438 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

Drains probably leads to lower overall recurrence compared with no drains (moderate certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.45 [0.32, 0.61]
  9 studies · 968 participants
  Moderate

Drain vs No drain

Drains may leads to lower recurrence with 2 burr holes (subgroup) compared with no drains (low certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.46 [0.26, 0.8]
  3 studies · 306 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

Drains may leads to lower recurrence with 1 burr hole (subgroup) compared with no drains (low certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.17 [0.05, 0.56]
  2 studies · 156 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

Drains probably leads to lower recurrence with 1 or 2 burr holes (subgroup) compared with no drains (moderate certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.52 [0.34, 0.79]
  4 studies · 506 participants
  Moderate

Drain vs No drain

Drains showed no clear difference in complications compared with no drains (low certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.15 [0.77, 1.72]
  7 studies · 710 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

Drains showed no clear difference in mortality compared with no drains (low certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.78 [0.45, 1.33]
  5 studies · 539 participants
  Low

Drain vs No drain

Drains showed no clear difference in poor functional outcome (includes death) compared with no drains (low certainty).

• External drains versus no drains after burr‐hole evacuation for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma in adults 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.68 [0.44, 1.05]
  5 studies · 490 participants
  Low

Drainage vs no drainage after open appendectomy

It is very uncertain whether drainage changes intraperitoneal abscess compared with no drainage after open appendectomy (very low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage to prevent intra‐peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.23 [0.47, 3.21]
  5 studies · 453 participants
  Very low

Drainage vs no drainage after open appendectomy

It is very uncertain whether drainage changes wound infection compared with no drainage after open appendectomy (very low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage to prevent intra‐peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.01 [0.88, 4.56]
  5 studies · 478 participants
  Very low

Drainage vs no drainage after open appendectomy

Drainage may leads to higher morbidity compared with no drainage after open appendectomy (low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage to prevent intra‐peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 6.67 [2.13, 20.87]
  1 study · 90 participants
  Low

Drainage vs no drainage after open appendectomy

Drainage may leads to higher mortality compared with no drainage after open appendectomy (low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage to prevent intra‐peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  Peto OR 4.88 [1.18, 20.09]
  4 studies · 363 participants
  Low

Drainage vs no drainage after open appendectomy

Drainage showed no clear difference in hospital stay (days) compared with no drainage after open appendectomy (low certainty).

• Abdominal drainage to prevent intra‐peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 2.17
  3 studies · 298 participants
  Low

Drainage vs no drainage after open appendectomy

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Abdominal drainage to prevent intra‐peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found