Prophylactic Intra-abdominal Drainage is Associated With Lower Postoperative Complications in Patients With Crohn’s Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Prophylactic intraoperative drains have been shown not superior for patients underwent intestinal surgery. However, for patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), this needs further exploration. Methods In this pilot study, CD patients were randomly assigned to drain (n = 50) and no-drain (n = 50) groups. The primary endpoint was the rate of postoperative prolonged ileus (PPOI). The secondary endpoints were postoperative abdominal ascites, postoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results The incidences of PPOI and postoperative abdominal ascites were significantly lower in the drain group (12% vs 44%; 0% vs 24%, both P < .05). Postoperative SIRS incidence and CRP levels were significantly increased in the no-drain group [36% vs 10%; 54.9 vs 34.3 mg/L, both P < .05]. In multivariate analysis, prophylactic drainage was the independent protective factor for PPOI and postoperative LOS. Conclusions Prophylactic drainage may be associated with improved clinical outcomes in CD patients.