ArticlePerioperative medicine (London, England)2025
The effect of abdominal massage applied after surgery on gastrointestinal symptoms and comfort level.
Article in Perioperative medicine (London, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05750186 (The Effect of Abdominal Massage Applied After Surgery on Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Comfort Level), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Effect of Abdominal Massage Applied After Surgery on Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Comfort Level
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Safety and Efficacy of Manual and Automated Abdominal Colonic Massage for Chronic Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Clinical and translational gastroenterology · 2026Pooled it
- The Effect of Abdominal Massage and In-Bed Exercise on Gastrointestinal Complications, Pain and Comfort in Palliative Care Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial.Scandinavian journal of caring sciences · 2026Trial
- Non-Pharmacologic Manual Therapies for Postoperative Bowel Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAbdominal massage is a nonpharmacological and safe independent nursing intervention used to manage gastrointestinal symptoms after surgical intervention. This study was conducted to determine the effects of abdominal massage on gastrointestinal symptoms and comfort levels in patients who underwent abdominal massage after surgical intervention.
methodsThe sample of the randomized controlled experimental study consisted of 68 patients: 34 experimental patients and 34 control patients, who underwent inpatient surgery at the orthopedics and traumatology clinic of a university hospital between September 2022 and September 2023, and did not defecate in the first 3 days after surgery. Data were collected via the Patient Information Form, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Bristol Stool Scale, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), and General Comfort Scale (GCS). Patients in the experimental group received abdominal massage for 15 min twice daily, in the morning and evening, on the 5th and 6th days, starting from the morning of the 4th day. Patients in the control group received only routine pharmacologic treatment according to the physician's order on the 5th and 6th days, starting from the morning of the 4th day. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, Spearman correlation, and Bonferroni post hoc test.
resultsThe mean age of the patients was 60.29 ± 13.86 years, and 7.9% were female. The groups were not significantly different regarding individual or disease characteristics, gastrointestinal symptoms, or habits (p > 0.05). The severity of gastrointestinal symptoms decreased, and the general comfort level increased in the experimental and control groups. The mean score of the General Comfort Scale for Coping with Problems subscale was significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.05).
conclusionsThis study highlights the novel and practical contribution of a nonpharmacological method, such as abdominal massage, in postoperative care. Abdominal massage can replace pharmacologic methods, achieve similar effects, and increase patient comfort and independence. In this context, healthcare team members may recommend abdominal massage for gastrointestinal symptom management and increasing comfort after surgical intervention.
trial registrationClinical trials: NCT05750186, registered on 01.03.2023.
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