To drain or not to drain: A propensity score analysis of abdominal drainage after colorectal surgery for endometriosis

Aim: To assess the benefit of prophylactic abdominal drainage (AD) after colorectal surgery for endometriosis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 215 patients who underwent colorectal surgery for endometriosis using a mini-invasive approach in our center from February 2019 to July 2023. A propensity score matched (PSM) analysis (1:1 ratio) identified two groups of patients with similar characteristics. Postoperative outcomes were then compared.

Results: In the unmatched cohort, 151 patients (70 %) had AD at the end of surgery and 64 (30 %) did not. Clinical characteristics and surgical procedures were comparable between the groups after PSM. After PSM, AD was associated with a longer hospital stay (p < 0.001) and a greater number of postoperative complications (p = 0.03). There were no differences for readmission, repeat surgery, or severe postoperative complications.

Conclusion: In this retrospective cohort of patients undergoing colorectal resection for endometriosis using a mini-invasive approach, prophylactic AD was not found to be beneficial.