To drain or not to drain: Randomised controlled trial of vacuum drain, non-vacuum drain or no drain after thyroidectomy for large thyroid goitres

The necessity of drains after thyroidectomy remains debated, especially for large goitres. Our random controlled trial, conducted in a high-volume endocrine surgery unit and specifically evaluating drainage after thyroidectomy for large (>6 cm) goitres, demonstrated that routine drain placement does not significantly reduce post-operative haematoma nor seroma formation in our setting.Trial RegistrationCTRI/2021/03/031992.