The physiotherapy management of patients undergoing abdominal surgery

Abdominal surgery is performed to remove cancerous tissue, to resolve visceral tissue perforations or to remove inflammatory bowel segments, benign growths or vascular aneurysms. Postoperative complications, including pulmonary complications, are common following abdominal surgery and physiotherapy aims to prevent and treat many of these complications. Much of the literature investigating physiotherapy interventions is over a decade old and advances in surgery, including minimally invasive surgery and fast track pathways, require physiotherapists to re-evaluate their practices. This narrative review aims to examine the evidence investigating the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions and apply this to contemporary surgical practices. Recommendations for practice and research are outlined.