ASSESMENT of CLOSED SUCTION DRAIN IN TWO LEVEL LUMBER DECOMPRESSION

BACKGROUND- Closed suction drain is used for many years in spinal surgery. It not only prevents postoperative hematoma formation but also reduced wound infection as blood act as good culture media for bacteria to grow. It also reduces the post operative neurological deficit caused by hematoma. But studies do not indicate any benefit of using closed suction drain in single level laminectomy or discectomy. MATERIAL AND METHOD- We retrospectively studies 400 patients operated for two level lumber decompression or discectomy during a period of three years (August 2011 to November 2014). Patients were divided in two groups based on the use of closed suction drain. All patients were given general anesthesia during the operation. They were compared for postoperative hematoma formation and wound infection. RESULT- Mean blood loss was 80 ml in group of patients with closed suction drain and 74 ml in patients without drain. There was no significant postoperative hematoma formation in either group. Two patients in group A and one patient in group B had post operative wound infection that was clear after antibiotics according to the C/S. CONCLUSION-This study does not show any evidence that closed suction drain are useful in preventing postoperative hematoma and wound infection in two level lumber decompression or discectomy . According to other studies, drain is useful in multiple level lumber decompression (more than two level), tumors and patients with bleeding disorders.