Effects of Connective Tissue Massage on Pain After Thoracotomy

Pain can be quite severe after thoracic surgery and effective pain control is highly effective in preventing secretion accumulation, atelectasis, infection and hypoxemia. The objective was evaluate the effect of a connective tissue massage on pain, applied analgesic amounts and length of hospitalization of the patients.The study was conducted at a thoracic surgery department of university hospital in Turkey. Fifty-four patients with operated by the posterolateral thoracotomy method participated.The patients were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 groups: a control group (n27) and the experimental group (n27). Standard medical treatment, care and pulmonary rehabilitation program were applied to both groups. In addition, a total of 5 sessions of connective tissue massage were applied to the experimental group. Pain level of the patients was evaluated at every 24 hours as of the zeroth postoperative day. VAS was used as a one-dimensional scale for pain assessment. Totally applied analgesic amounts and length of hospitalization of the patients were recorded.

Inclusion Criteria:Applying to Thoracic Surgery Department of Akdeniz University Hospital and undergoing thoracotomy via posterolateral thoracotomy incision,Being in age range of 20-75 years,Being stable in terms of hemodynamics,Having no metastatic dissemination,Having no known cerebrovascular disease,Having no morbid obesity and heart disease that may inhibit the study,Having no cognitive impairment that may inhibit communication,Having no previous stroke and the associated influence,Having no inconvenience for connective tissue massage as a result of the evaluation made by the physician,Agreeing to participate in the study.Exclusion Criteria:Having cardiovascular diseases,Having stage 3 (severe) or stage 4 (very severe) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),Having more than 200 cc bleeding per hour from the drainage tubes,Having an intubation period longer than 24 hours,Interventions having a negative effect on the pain such as decortication, diaphragm eventration, thoracic wall resection that are performed by thoracotomy were excluded from in the study.