Drainage Versus Nondrainage in Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasties

Abstract

A prospective study of 69 patients (138 knees) who had a primary simultaneous bilateral total knee replacement was conducted to assess the effect of postoperative suction drainage on wound healing and infection. A suction drain was placed by randomization of side for the drained versus nondrained side. The same operative technique was used in all wounds of total knee arthroplasty. The knees that had no drains had a higher incidence of drainage from the wound, had soaked dressings requiring dressing reinforcements, and had more ecchymosis and erythema around the wound. However, the final results regarding quadriceps strength, range of motion, and wound complications were not affected significantly by nonuse of closed suction drainage. Although the incidence of infection in the two groups is not statistically different, the development of infection in two knees in which drains were not used suggests that suction drainage may reduce deep infection.