Effect of Cold Application on Pain After Chest Tube Removal in Patients Undergoing Bypass Surgery

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of cold application on pain after chest tube removal in patients undergoing bypass surgery.
Methods: Data of 56 patients who underwent bypass surgery between August 2021 and November 2021 (46 males, 10 females; mean age: 62.8±9.2 years) were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: the intervention group (n=28) with cold application and the control group (n=28) without cold application. Demographic characteristics, pain, and vital signs of the patients were compared.
Results: The groups mostly felt pain in the tube site 20 min before cold application, during the procedure, and 20 min after the procedure, and a significant difference in pain quality was observed between the groups (p<0.05). No significant differences in pain severity and skin and body temperatures were observed between the two groups 20 min before the procedure. Pain intensity and skin and body temperatures of the intervention group decreased during and 20 min after the procedure. No significant differences in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration were observed between the two groups (p>0.05). In the control group, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse rate increased during the procedure. The SpO2 level of the intervention group was higher.
Conclusion: Cold application was effective in managing pain after chest tube removal in patients undergoing bypass surgery.