Abstract:ObjectiveTo study the effects of drainage tube placement or non-placement on rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS).MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on 106 patients undergoing unilateral TKA from May 2018 to April 2019.There were 58 cases with one drainage tube placed after TKA (control group) and 48 cases without drainage tube placed after TKA (observation group).The levels of hemoglobin (HB),hematocrit (HCT) and the swelling of affected thighs were compared at 1 day and 1 week after operation between two groups.Visual analogue score (VAS) and Hospital for special surgery (HSS) knee score were evaluated at 1 week and 1 month after operation,and the incidences of complications were observed at 1 month after operation in two groups.ResultsThere were no significant differences in Hb and HCT levels,thigh swelling rate and VAS score between two groups (P>[JP2]0.05).Compared with control group,Hb［(121.40±10.05) g/L vs (117.47±10.61) g /L,P=0.041］,HCT［(33.53±5.82)%[JP] vs (31.09±4.57)%,P=0.047］ significantly increased at one week after operation,and HSS scores increased at one week (P=0.032) and one month (P=0.048) after operation in observation group.The postoperative fever rate in observation group was statistically higher than that in control group (33.33% vs 13.79%,P=0.017),and there was no significant difference in the incidence of other complications between two groups (P>0.05).ConclusionNo drainage after TKA can reduce the postoperative recessive blood loss and is beneficial to early functional exercise and rapid recovery of knee joint activity,and it has no significant impact on the incidence of postoperative complications.