ObjectiveTo compare the clinical application effects of using no drainage tube and placing a single 22# drainage tube in mediastinal tumor resection via thoracoscopic subxiphoid approach. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients who underwent mediastinal tumor resection via thoracoscopic subxiphoid approach at the Fourth People's Hospital of Zigong City from January 2020 to February 2024. Patients were divided into a non-drainage tube group and a drainage tube group, and their perioperative data were compared. ResultsA total of 149 patients were included, and there were 111 patients of thymoma, 5 patients of teratoma, and 33 patients of cyst. There were 77 patients in the non-drainage tube group, including 40 males and 37 females, aged 28-79 (53.72±13.34) years; there were 72 patients in the drainage tube group, including 33 males and 39 females, aged 26-80 (55.60±11.06) years. The differences in postoperative pain score at 48 hours, maximum postoperative pain score, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative drainage tube-related complications, and the number of temporary analgesics used after surgery between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). ConclusionThe use of non-drainage tube technology in mediastinal tumor resection through thoracoscopic subxiphoid approach can reduce postoperative pain and the number of temporary analgesics used, as well as decrease the incidence of drainage tube-related complications.