Perioperative Probiotics or Synbiotics in Adults Undergoing Elective Abdominal Surgery

Study answer

What this study found

Perioperative probiotics and synbiotics reduced postoperative infectious complications overall, and synbiotics appeared more effective than probiotics alone. The pooled risk of postoperative infectious complications was RR 0.56 (95% CI 0.46-0.69; P < 0.00001; I2 = 42%), with subgroup effects of RR 0.46 for synbiotics (95% CI 0.33-0.66; P < 0.0001) and RR 0.65 for probiotics (95% CI 0.53-0.80; P < 0.0001). Length of hospital stay was also shorter overall (WMD -2.59 days, 95% CI -4.31 to -0.87; P = 0.003), driven by synbiotics (WMD -3.89 days, 95% CI -6.60 to -1.18; P = 0.005), while…

Study & population

Systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 studies in adults undergoing elective abdominal surgery, including colorectal, upper gastrointestinal, transplant, and hepatopancreatobiliary procedures.

Intervention

Perioperative probiotics or synbiotics were given around elective abdominal surgery.

Key limitation

The evidence is limited by substantial heterogeneity in probiotic and synbiotic formulations, dosing, and treatment duration, as well as variability in study design.

View full study detailsView sourceOpen PDF

Original abstract