Effect of an abdominal binder on postoperative outcomes after ventral hernia repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abdominal binders consist of a wide compression belt that encircles the abdomen, theoretically supporting the abdominal wall. However, their use after ventral hernia repair is debated. Therefore, this meta-analysis evaluates their efficacy.

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of abdominal binders after ventral hernia repair. Outcomes included postoperative pain using the visual analog scale (VAS), surgical site infection (SSI), seroma formation and size, general well-being, activity limitation, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and a 6-min walk test. Statistical analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.4.1 using a random-effects model.

We included five RCTs encompassing 297 patients. Overall analysis showed decreased SSI rates (RR 0.21; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.59; p = 0.003; I² = 0%) and reduced pain two weeks after surgery (MD −0.89; 95% CI −1.41 to −0.37; p = 0.0008; I² = 0%) using abdominal binders. For patients undergoing open ventral hernia repair, it also demonstrated reduced SSI, pain four weeks after surgery (MD −0.60; 95% CI −0.88 to −0.32; p < 0.0001; I² = 66%) and increased 6-min walk test performance four weeks after the procedure (MD 32.78 m; 95% CI 15.28 to 50.29 m; p = 0.0002; I² = 0%).

Abdominal binders may decrease SSI, postoperative pain, and increase physical condition, particularly in open ventral hernia repair. Further studies are still required to evaluate the role of abdominal binders in minimally invasive techniques.