Incentive spirometry (IS) for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications after upper abdominal surgery

Previous studies have suggested that between 17% and 88% of people having surgery to the upper abdomen will suffer complications that affect their lungs after the operation (postoperative pulmonary complications). These complications can be made less likely and less severe with the careful use of treatments designed to increase the volume of the lungs, as these volumes tend to fall after such surgery. These treatments encourage breathing in (inspiration). Incentive spirometers are mechanical devices developed to help people take long, deep, and slow breaths to increase lung inflation. This review included 11 studies with a total of 1754 participants. We found no evidence to support the use of incentive spirometry for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications following upper abdominal surgery.