Foot Reflexology for Pain and Anxiety Associated with Chest Tube Removal in Patients After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND

Reflexology is a method used to control the pain and anxiety associated with chest tube removal in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.

PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify the effect of foot reflexology applied before chest tube removal on pain and anxiety levels in patients with coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

METHODS/DESIGN: This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial.

SETTING

This study was conducted in the cardiovascular surgery intensive care unit of the Baskent University Ankara Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were randomly assigned either to the reflexology group or the control group (n = 28 individuals/group).

INTERVENTION

The reflexology group received foot reflexology for 30 minutes in two sessions (first postoperative day and before chest tube removal).

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcomes of the surgery were pain, evaluated using a Numeric Pain-Rating Scale; and anxiety, evaluated using the Profile of Mood States Scale Tension-Anxiety Subscale. Pain and anxiety were determined on the first (before and after the reflexology) and second postoperative days (before and after the reflexology and immediately, 15 min, 1 hour (only pain level) after chest tube removal).

RESULTS

The mean pain scores of the control and intervention groups were similar during chest tube removal, 15 minutes after, and 1 hour after (P > .05). Although mean anxiety scores were comparable after chest tube removal in both groups (P > .05), a significant difference was found 15 minutes later (P < .05). The increase in pain (P = .0001) and anxiety (P = .032) levels before and after the removal was significantly less in the intervention group compared to the control group, based on pain and anxiety scores.

CONCLUSION

Foot reflexology significantly reduced the increase in pain and anxiety during chest tube removal in patients with coronary artery bypass graft surgery.