Role of Incision Support Using Elastic Abdominal Binders in Reducing Postoperative Pain after Midline Laparotomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Midline laparotomies constitute a majority of intra-abdominal elective and emergency surgical procedures. Midline laparotomy results in postoperative effects on the patient, which include pain with subsequent immobilisation along with decreased pulmonary function and abdominal muscle laxity. Pain is the most incapacitating of all those mentioned, due to its effect on the physical condition and psyche of the patient. Pain after laparotomy is a frequent complication and the prevalence of pain after midline laparotomy is reported as high as 80%. Pain if inadequately treated will cause complications, which can range from short term complications which include hyperglycaemia, increased surgical site infection to long term complications like decreased quality of life and development of chronic pain syndrome [1]. Pain management includes various methods like use of drugs and several newer analgesic/ anaesthetic techniques. One of the simplest and cheapest mechanisms of the many studied and researched is the use of abdominal binders.