Use of Abdominal Binders for Postoperative Pain After Gastrointestinal Surgery: An Integrative Review.

PURPOSE: No national policies or clinical practice guidelines have been identified regarding best practices in addressing postoperative pain after abdominal surgery with adjunctive nonpharmacologic therapies, such as abdominal binders.

DESIGN: Integrative review.

METHODS: An integrative review was conducted using Cochrane, PubMed, Medline, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases, collecting articles published within the last 5 years regarding abdominal binder use after adult gastrointestinal surgeries.

FINDINGS: Five articles met inclusion criteria. Two articles provided statistically significant results regarding reduction in pain, whereas the other three suggested likely postoperative pain reduction, subjective improved pain, and comfort among other benefits.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of abdominal binders postoperatively does not increase risk or harm to the patient. Researchers suggest that this intervention may not only offer analgesic benefits but also may increase patient satisfaction and decrease psychological distress. However, because of the limited evidence, additional high-level randomized controlled trials regarding abdominal binder use to address postoperative pain are needed.