The Impact of Anesthetic Techniques on Postoperative Outcomes in Pediatric Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis

Abedini, Naghi; Hamzeie, Vahid

doi:10.22034/mphrj.2026.576941.1083

The Impact of Anesthetic Techniques on Postoperative Outcomes in Pediatric Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis

Document Type : Systematic Review

Authors

Naghi Abedini ¹

Vahid Hamzeie ²

¹ Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Tabriz, Iran.

² Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery, Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

10.22034/mphrj.2026.576941.1083

Abstract

Introduction: Pediatric abdominal surgery is associated with significant postoperative morbidity, influenced not only by surgical factors but also by perioperative anesthetic management. Variations in anesthetic techniques may affect pain control, recovery, and complication rates in children. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of different anesthetic techniques on postoperative outcomes in pediatric abdominal surgery.

Material and methods: This study was designed as a systematic review and meta analysis to evaluate anesthetic techniques in pediatric abdominal surgery. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase to synthesize available evidence on postoperative outcomes in children.

Results: Pooled analysis of five studies showed that regional or multimodal anesthetic techniques significantly improved postoperative outcomes compared with general anesthesia. These approaches reduced pain intensity (SMD = −0.82, 95% CI −1.15 to −0.49; I² = 42%) and shortened hospital stay (MD = −1.34 days, 95% CI −1.98 to −0.70; I² = 46%), indicating consistent clinical benefits.

Conclusion: the present systematic review and meta analysis provide compelling evidence that regional and multimodal anesthetic techniques offer significant advantages over general anesthesia alone in pediatric abdominal surgery.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Anesthetic Techniques

Pediatric

abdominal surgery

Postoperative Outcomes

Subjects

Cancer

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