Knee drain debate: new study questions pain relief benefit

NCT ID NCT07175883

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study looked at whether placing a drain in the knee after total knee replacement reduces early postoperative pain. Sixty patients over age 60 were randomly assigned to receive a drain or not. Pain was measured before surgery and at discharge using a 0-10 scale. The goal is to clarify if drains help with pain, since current evidence is mixed.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Redon drain (a surgical drain placed in the knee after surgery)

What this could lead to

If the study shows no pain benefit from drains, surgeons may stop using them, simplifying recovery and reducing costs.

What could go wrong

This is a small, single-center study with only 60 patients, so results may not apply to all knee replacement surgeries. Pain is subjective and hard to measure precisely.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

osteoarthritis, knee Pain, Postoperative

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Hospital Unievrsitario Reina Sofia de Córdoba

    Córdoba, CORDOBA, 14004, Spain