Omitting Abdominal Drains Reduces Complications After Left Pancreatectomy

A systematic review and meta-analysis, including 15,817 patients, reveals that omitting abdominal drainage after left pancreatectomy significantly lowers major morbidity, postoperative pancreatic fistula rates, readmissions, and surgical site infections. The no-drain group demonstrated a relative risk of 0.77 for major complications and a striking 51% reduction in postoperative pancreatic fistula occurrence. Additionally, patients without drains experienced shorter hospital stays, underscoring the potential benefits of this surgical approach.