The need of drainage after cholecystectomy.

In an attempt to rationalize the use of intraperitoneal drainage of the subhepatic space after simple, elective cholecystectomy, a prospective study was designed to compare the post-operative course with and without drainage. There was a higher incidence of postoperative fever of unknown origin and wound infection in the drained group. In the group without drainage the hospital postoperative stay was shorter and there were no complications. The results suggest that routine surgical drainage after uncomplicated cholecystectomy is unnecessary and could be a source of postoperative fever and a higher incidence of wound infection.