Objective: To clarify the value of unconventional prophylactic drain placement in radical thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer. Methods: The subjects of this retrospective study were 314 patients with thyroid cancer who underwent thyroidectomy in our department between September 2017 and September 2018. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the drain tube was placed in the neck. The drain group comprised 203 patients with routine prophylactic drain placement and the no drain group comprised 111 patients with no drain placement after surgery. General information, post-operative recovery and incidence of post-operative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences in the general information and postoperative complications in the two groups. The no drain group had shorter hospital stay [(1.51±0.60) d vs (2.75±0.87) d, P<0.001], less pain (VAS score: 2.34±1.12 vs 2.78±1.52, P<0.01] and less times (1.68±0.81 vs 2.52±1.85, P<0.001) of wound dressing change after operation compared with the drain group. Conclusion: The unconventional prophylactic drain placement in rectal thyroidectomy is safe and feasible. Unnecessary drain placement should be avoided.