Effects of subcutaneous drain on wound dehiscence and infection in gynecological midline laparotomy: Secondary analysis of a Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group study (KGOG 4001).

OBJECTIVE

To identify the effects of subcutaneous drain insertion on wound dehiscence and infection in patients who underwent gynecological midline laparotomy.

METHODS

This analysis identified the secondary endpoints of the KGOG 4001 study, a prospective, multicenter, non-blind, randomized controlled trial. Patients scheduled to undergo midline laparotomy for gynecological diseases and, with body mass index<35 kg/m2, were randomized (1:1) to treatment (with subcutaneous drain) and control (without subcutaneous drain) groups from February 2021 to December 2021. We compared the incidence rate of wound dehiscence 4 weeks post-surgery and the cumulative incidence rate of wound dehiscence and infection up to 4 weeks post-surgery between the two groups.

RESULTS

Of 174 patients randomized to the treatment (n = 84) and control (n = 90) groups, 12 were excluded owing to loss to follow-up; finally, 162 patients (treatment, n = 79; control, n = 83) were included in intention-to-treat analysis. The frequency of cancer surgery (79.7 % vs. 77.1 %, p = 0.683), mean surgery time (227.7 vs. 226.7 min, p = 0.960), and mean wound length (24.2 vs. 24.3 cm, p = 0.933) were comparable between two groups. No significant differences were observed in the incidence rate of wound dehiscence 4 weeks post-surgery (1.3 % vs. 2.4 %, p > 0.999), cumulative incidence rate of wound dehiscence (8.9 % vs. 6.0 %, p = 0.491), and cumulative incidence rate of wound infection (1.3 % vs. 0.0 %, p = 0.488) up to 4 weeks post-surgery between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Subcutaneous drain insertion is not associated with a significant improvement in the incidence of wound dehiscence and infection in patients who undergo gynecological midline laparotomy.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04643197.