Feasibility of app-based home monitoring after abdominal surgery: A systematic review

Background: Abdominal surgery presents great challenges postoperatively. Considering financial healthcare constraints, the use of mobile applications has received increased interest. This systematic review was conducted to assess and report the feasibility of app-based home monitoring after abdominal surgery. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library were searched on the October 17, 2023. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Results: Thirty-six articles were included, 17 of these originating from USA or Canada. The response rate varied between 11.9 ​% and 100 ​%. Bariatric, upper gastrointestinal, and colorectal surgery reported the highest response rates. All included studies had a degree of bias. Conclusion: This study found varying response rates. The data indicated that the response rates were high within bariatric surgery, with additional factors potentially affecting this. The degree of bias was generally high, and the quality of the included studies limits the conclusions.