This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of fibrin tissue glue for reducing the amount of drainage and shortening the hospital stay.

255 patients who underwent thyroidectomy due to papillary thyroid carcinoma (179 cases of total thyroidectomy and 76 cases of total thyroidectomy with unilateral modified radical neck dissection) were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical factors were compared between the case group (fibrin glue) and the control group (conventional hemostasis). This comparison was separately done for the cases of total tyroidectomy alone and for the cases of total thyroidectomy with MRND.

There were no significant differences between the two groups for the amount of drainage and the length of the hospital stay for patients who underwent total thyroidectomy alone. On the other hand, for patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with unilateral MRND, a significant reduction of the average amount of drainage (case group: 37.52±9.41 ml, control group: 42.89±10.82 ml, P^*=0.025) and a significantly shortened hospital stay (case group: 3.43±0.50 days, control group: 3.75±0.69 days, P^*=0.021) were observed in the case group.

From the results of this study, we recommend the use of fibrin glue after extensive radical neck surgery such as modified radical neck dissection. Prospective randomized studies should be carried out to confirm and expand our results.