Complications in total knee arthroplasty with and without surgical drainage.

The standard practice in total joint arthroplasty has included the use of postsurgical drains to minimize perioperative wound complications, particularly infection. This practice is not without cost and potential morbidity. Our recent cemented and cementless total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) have been done without the use of postoperative surgical drains and without any appreciable increase in wound complications.