ABSTRACT

In urological surgery currently, passive or suction drains are routinely used for surgical drainage. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the occlusion of drain developing after open abdominal/retroperitoneal/pelvic operations in which drains were used in the last 3 years. Drain occlusion was detected in only 5 cases (0.97%) in 515 open abdominal/retroperitoneal/pelvic operations in which single drain was used. All patients were male (Mean age=45.2; range=21–67 years). Common features of these cases were the presence of a history of major urological surgery, that they were the cases of training, requirement for the close monitoring of surgical space for possible bleeding and urine leakage, early postoperative hemorrhage, transfusion in all patients, presence of collection in surgical space, occlusion of the whole drain with thrombus and presence of hemorrhagic nature of drain content just prior to this. Silicone flat drain was used in 4 cases, while round drain was used in only 1 case. Drain catheters were changed in 4 patients. Hospitalization period was prolonged and one died in these cases. In conclusion, although occlusion of the drain rarely occurs in urological surgery, it is particularly possible in cases of training, in cases with hemorrhagic diathesis, after major urological, recurrence or anastomotic surgeries, and it might be associated with serious morbidity and mortality. Therefore, one should be cautious in similar cases in terms of this complication, or should be more selective about drain catheter in surgeries with such features.