Drainage by urostomy bag after blockage of abdominal drain in patients with cirrhosis undergoing hepatectomy

Abdominal drainage was previously recommended as a post-hepatectomy procedure for patients with cirrhosis. This report introduces a simple technique that prevents leakage of ascitic fluid after cirrhotic hepatectomy complicated by blockage of the abdominal drain. In 59 patients who had had cirrhotic hepatectomy complicated by leakage of ascites in the drain site after drainage removal between January 2001 and April 2011, 31 underwent suture ligation (sutured group) and 28 were given urostomy bag at the abdominal drainage site (drainage group). The mean length of postoperative hospital stay in the drainage group was shorter than in the sutured group (16.11±2.61 vs 34.23±4.86 days, P=0.000). Meanwhile, the drainage group showed decreased postoperative complications, including leakage of ascites, wound infection, and collection of ascites. Drainage by urostomy bag can prevent prolonged leakage of ascitic fluid after the blockage of abdominal drains in patients undergoing cirrhotic hepatectomy.