Assessing the impact of foot massage on pain reduction in patients after cardiothoracic surgery

Abstract

In the United States, it is stated that cardiac surgery can result in various sources of pain. Inevitably, there is pain associated with the wound, and beyond the sternotomy incision, there may be an extensive leg wound from vein harvesting. Other contributors to pain and discomfort include drains in the mediastinal and pleural regions, tracheal tubes, and urethral catheters. Activities such as physiotherapy, movement, and tracheal toileting (suctioning of secretions) can contribute to the patient's distress. Typically, acute pain from the incisions becomes more manageable after the third day, but complications may arise, leading to additional pain. These complications encompass wound infection, hematoma formation, sternal dehiscence, pleural effusion, pneumonia, and myocardial infarction. Bacterial mediastinitis and pericarditis occasionally serve as significant sources of severe pain, and patients who have recently experienced a myocardial infarction may develop Dressler's syndrome. Intraoperative chest wall retraction can result in trauma to the thoracic cage, potentially causing the development of conditions such as costochondritis or musculoskeletal and myofascial pain postoperatively. H1: The pain score following a foot massage is expected to be notably reduced compared to the pain score before receiving the foot massage. H2: A significant correlation is anticipated between the post-foot massage pain score and certain variables like age and type of surgery. Indeed, associations were identified between the pre-foot massage pain score and age (χ2 = 52.7344), previous analgesic use (χ2 = 14.9246), non-pharmacological management (χ2 = 22.5466), and previous surgery (χ2 = 18.7098). Consequently, the research hypothesis was accepted, and the null hypothesis was rejected. Conversely, no significant associations were observed between pre-foot massage pain and demographic variables such as age, education (χ2 = 1.4284, P > 0.05), occupation (χ2 = 3.1677, P > 0.05), sex (χ2 = 0.033879), and type of surgery (χ2 = 5.9). Recommendations: This research can be conducted again with a broader sample size that includes patients undergoing general surgery to enhance its applicability. Additionally, replicating this study with a larger participant pool and incorporating a control group would be beneficial.