OBJECTIVE:

This randomized, blinded, controlled study examines the effects of fibrin sealant (Tisseel, Laboratoire de production Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria) on wound drainage following thyroidectomy.

METHODS:

Fifty-six consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomized into Tisseel and non-Tisseel treatment groups. Wound drain output was tallied in 8-hour increments by observers blinded to the treatment groups.

RESULTS:

Fifty-six patients completed the study. Significant decreases in wound drainage were found in the first 8 hours in the Tisseel group. Eight hours postoperatively, wound output in the Tisseel group was reduced by 44% compared with the non-Tisseel group. A significant decrease in the total drainage over the 64-hour time period of 43% was noted between the treatment and control groups. Post-thyroidectomy wound drainage was reduced and trended to earlier drain removal. No significant changes in the length of hospital stay were noted, nor were postoperative complications encountered in either treatment group.

CONCLUSIONS:

Fibrin sealants offer a unique opportunity to safely decrease post-thyroidectomy wound drainage. This investigation furthers the evidence that fibrin sealants could safely enable the implementation of drain-free thyroidectomies.