Infectious and noninfectious complications in major head and neck surgery.

The Hemovac drainage system was required postoperatively for 156 patients who had undergone major head and neck surgical treatment. This study distinguishes infectious complications from noninfectious complications by the aerobic and anaerobic cultures that were taken from the Hemovac line drainage and any subsequent complications. The 33% complication rate included only those of the head and neck and excluded general medical complications. Of the 52 patients having complications, 19 had infectious, 24 had noninfectious, and nine had both infectious and noninfectious complications.