Surgical drains can be safely avoided in lateral neck dissections for papillary thyroid cancer.

Background: Drains are widely used in lateral neck dissections (LNDs). Our objective was to compare outcomes of LNDs for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with and without drains.

Methods: One hundred sixty-five LNDs in 129 patients operated on from July 2001 to October 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. LNDs were divided according to the number of excised lymph nodes as follows: group A < median and group B > median. Further categorization was based on the use of a drain. Main outcome measures were wound complications requiring intervention.

Results: One hundred two LNDs were performed with a drain and 63 without. The overall rate of wound complications was 3%. There was no significant difference in complication rate between the drain and the non-drain group (group A: 1.8% vs 0; group B: 2.2% vs 7.9%, respectively).

Conclusions: Significant seromas/hematomas are rare complications of LNDs. Patients who undergo LND for PTC without a drain show no significantly increased rate of these complications.