Omitting abdominal drains improves outcomes after left pancreatectomy

A systematic review and meta-analysis involving 15,817 patients revealed that avoiding routine abdominal drainage following left pancreatectomy significantly reduces major morbidity, postoperative pancreatic fistula rates, readmissions, and surgical site infections. The no-drain group experienced a 23% reduction in major complications and substantially lower rates of fistulas and infections. Additionally, patients without drains had shorter hospital stays, suggesting that non-drain strategies may enhance postoperative recovery and outcomes after the procedure.