3 : It is suggested that deep breathing exercises provide the same benefit as incentive spirometry in the preoperative and postoperative setting to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications .
The Effect of Abdominal Binders on Postoperative Pulmonary Function
Abdominal binders are ordered by some surgeons postoperatively for patient comfort and to prevent wound complications . There has been some question as to the compressive effect that an abdominal binder has on pulmonary function . We prospect ively r and omized 54 patients undergoing a midline laparotomy incision to two groups : a “ binder ” group and a “ no binder ” group .  Preoperative pulmonary function tests ( vital capacity and incentive spirometry ) were measured . Postoperatively , pulmonary function tests , pulse oximetry , oxygen requirement , pulmonary and wound complications , pain control , time to ambulation , and hospital length of stay were examined . Vital capacity as a per cent of preoperative values on postoperative Day 1 for the binder and nonbinder groups were 64.7 and 54.6 per cent , respectively , but this was not statistically significant . Average level of pain using the visual analog pain scale on postoperative Days 1 through 3 in the binder versus nonbinder groups was 4 versus 8 , 3 vs 6 , and 3 versus 7 , respectively . Time to ambulation was 18.6 hours in the binder group and 16.7 hours in the nonbinder group . Hospital length of stay in the binder and nonbinder groups was 3.9 days and 3.7 days , respectively . We conclude that abdominal binders in our patients with midline abdominal incisions had no significant effect on postoperative pulmonary function , but seemed to help with pain control
3 : It is suggested that deep breathing exercises provide the same benefit as incentive spirometry in the preoperative and postoperative setting to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications .