Probiotics Used for Postoperative Infections in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Cancer Surgery

Objective. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis about probiotics to improve postoperative infections in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. Methods. The PubMed and the Web of Science were used to search for appropriate randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing probiotics with placebo for the patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. The RevMan 5.3 was performed for meta-analysis to evaluate the postoperative infection, including the total infection, surgical site infection, central line infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, septicemia, and postoperative leakage. Results. Our meta-analysis included 6 studies involving a total of 803 patients. For the incidence of total postoperative infection (odd ratios (OR) 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15–0.64, I 2 =0%), surgical site infection (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39–0.99, I 2 =11%), central line infection (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.15–2.45, I 2 =65%), pneumonia (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.18–0.71, I 2 =0%), urinary tract infection (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11–0.60, I 2 =26%), septicemia (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.17–0.49, I 2 =10%), postoperative leakage (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.06–3.27, I 2 =68%), the results showed that the incidences of infections were significantly lower in the probiotics group than the placebo group. Conclusions. Probiotics is beneficial to prevent postoperative infections (including total postoperative infection, surgical site infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and septicemia) in patients with colorectal cancer.