Back ground: Cholecystectomy is the main line of treatment of symptomatic gall bladder diseases. Cholecsytectomy was done either laparoscopic (common) or open (less common).
Routine drainage after cholecsytectomy is still debated.

Objective: we aimed to evaluate the outcome of open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy without drain insertion as related to post operative pain, post operative hospital stay and post operative sub hepatic collection (detected with ultrasonography).

Methods: This study has been done in Alazhar university hospital in Assiut from April 2014 to April 2016. This study conducted on 100 patients suffering from chronic calcular cholecystits. Open cholecystectomy performed on 50 patients without drain and laparoscopic cholecystectomy for 50 patients without drain.

The effect of absence of drain after cholecystectomy was evaluated as regard to incidence of post operative pain, postoperative hospital stay, and post operative sub hepatic collection.

Results: The mean patients’ age was 35+0.14 for both sexes. There were 70 women and 30 men. Operative time’s range from 30-90 min with mean time 55_+ 0.7 for open cholecystectomy and 57 _+ 0.9 for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Hospitals stay range from 1-3 day for open cholecystectomy and 1-2 days for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All patients needed injections of ketolac 30 mg in the first post operative day to relief pain and 3 tablets/day ketolac 10 mg for the subsequent 2-4 days. Sub hepatic collection was seen in 4 patients (8%) of total 50 patients who under open cholecystectomy. Sub hepatic collection was seen in 2 patients (4%) who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Conclusion: There were no significant disadvantages of cholecystectomy without sub hepatic drain placement. The operating surgeon should be the best judge to decide whether to place drain or not.