Placing retroperitoneal tube drains in women after pelvic lymphadenectomy appears to offer no benefit, according to an updated Cochrane review of 4 studies involving 571 women.

The trials compared the effects of drains versus no drains in preventing lymphocyst formation following pelvic lymphadenectomy in women who primarily had cancer of the cervix and endometrium. Placement of suction drains did not appear to prevent lymphocysts, especially when the peritoneum was left open. In fact, this might lead to short- and long-term lymphocyst formation with related symptoms.