Drain versus no drain after open hernia repair: perioperative outcomes from a real-world registry-based analytical cross-sectional study.

Authors

  • Dr. Dharavath Gouthami Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.
  • Dr. R. Tejashwini Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.
  • Dr. Sabavat Laxmi Kalyani Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.
  • Dr. Supraja Jonnalagadda Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v7i3.2549

Keywords:

drain, open hernia repair, perioperative outcomes, seroma, surgical site infection, analytical cross-sectional study, registry-based study

Abstract

Background:

Open hernia repair remains one of the most frequently performed procedures in general surgery. The role of routine drain placement after open repair is still debated because drains can potentially reduce fluid collections, yet they can also increase discomfort, prolong hospitalization, and complicate postoperative care.

 Objectives:

To compare perioperative and short-term postoperative outcomes between patients who underwent open hernia repair with drain placement and those managed without a drain.

 Methods:

This hospital-based registry-derived analytical cross-sectional study included 100 adults who underwent elective open hernia repair at Government Medical College and associated teaching hospital, Suryapet, Telangana, India, between January 2025 and December 2025. Patients were classified into drain and no-drain comparison groups, with 50 patients in each group. Demographic variables, hernia characteristics, operative details, hospital stay, postoperative complications, ambulation, and return to normal activity were analyzed using standard comparative statistics.

 Results:

Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The drain group had a longer operative time and longer hospital stay than the no-drain group. Seroma formation was numerically lower with drains, but the difference was not statistically significant. Rates of hematoma, surgical site infection, wound dehiscence, and moderate-to-severe wound pain were comparable between groups. Patients without drains ambulated earlier and returned to normal activity sooner.

 Conclusion:

Routine drain placement after open hernia repair did not produce a statistically significant reduction in postoperative complications in this registry-derived cross-sectional analysis. Drain use was associated with longer surgery, prolonged hospitalization, delayed ambulation, and slower functional recovery.

 Recommendations:

Selective rather than routine use of drains should be considered during open hernia repair. Surgeons should individualize drain placement based on intraoperative dissection, dead space, bleeding risk, and hernia complexity while strengthening standardized postoperative pathways and uniform registry documentation.

Author Biographies

  • Dr. Dharavath Gouthami, Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.

    is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India. She completed her MBBS from Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal, and subsequently obtained her MS in General Surgery from the Upgraded Department of General Surgery, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. She also completed one year of Senior Residency at Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad. In addition, she holds FISCP [Fellowship of the International Society of Coloproctology].

    Dr. Gouthami has extensive clinical and academic experience. She worked for four years as a Specialist Surgeon at Singareni Collieries Company Limited, Bhupalpally, Warangal, where she gained substantial surgical expertise in patient care and management. She also has three years of teaching experience and is actively involved in undergraduate medical education, surgical training, and academic activities. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4418-5522

  • Dr. R. Tejashwini, Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.

     is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India. She completed her MBBS from Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal, Telangana, India, and subsequently obtained her MS in General Surgery from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. She also completed one year of Senior Residency at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Adilabad. Dr. Tejashwini has three years of teaching experience and is actively engaged in medical education, surgical training, and academic activities. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7311-1203

  • Dr. Sabavat Laxmi Kalyani, Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.

    is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India. She completed her MBBS from Mediciti Institute of Medical Sciences and subsequently obtained her MS in General Surgery from Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. She further completed one year of Senior Residency at Government Medical College, Mancherial, Telangana, India. In addition, she holds FISCP [Fellowship of the International Society of Coloproctology]. Dr. Kalyani has three years of teaching experience and is actively involved in surgical education, clinical training, and academic activities. ORCID Id:  https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5061-023X

  • Dr. Supraja Jonnalagadda, Assistant Professor, Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India.

    is currently serving as an Assistant Professor at Government Medical College, Suryapet, Telangana, India. She completed her MBBS from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, and obtained her MS in General Surgery from Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, Narketpally. She subsequently completed her Senior Residency at Government Medical College, Suryapet. Dr. Jonnalagadda has three years of teaching experience and is actively involved in undergraduate medical education, surgical training, and academic activities. ORCID ID:  https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6328-4135

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Published

2026-03-30

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 3 (2026): March 2026 Issue

Section

Section of Anesthesia and Surgery Research

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Dharavath Gouthami, Dr. R. Tejashwini, Dr. Sabavat Laxmi Kalyani, Dr. Supraja Jonnalagadda

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Drain versus no drain after open hernia repair: perioperative outcomes from a real-world registry-based analytical cross-sectional study. (2026). Student’s Journal of Health Research Africa, 7(3), 9. https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v7i3.2549

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