No drainage does not increase complication risk after total knee prosthesis implantation: a prospective, comparative, randomized study

Sixty patients were operated on for primary gonarthrosis by means of a ceme nted, posterior cruciate preserving total knee and were randomly allocated to postoperative drainage or nondrainage. The primary criterion was duratio n of hospital stay. Secondary criteria included serial evaluation of knee p ain, knee flexion, knee circumference, calculated blood loss after 7 days, complications, reoperations, and the need for blood transfusions. There was no difference between the two groups in any of the criteria during the ent ire follow-up. There was a nonsignificant trend to a decreased calculated b lood loss in the nondrained group and significantly less transfused blood u nits in the nondrained group. Lack of drainage does not increase complicati on risk after total knee prosthesis implantation. We therefore recommend us ing no routine drainage after this procedure.