Key result
Slow deep breathing exercises reduce pain scores by ~25% during chest tube removal after CABG.
Why the study?
Chest tube removal after CABG is frequently stressful and painful, highlighting the need for effective nonpharmacological interventions such as slow deep breathing relaxation exercises.
Does slow deep breathing relaxation exercise reduce pain and anxiety during and after chest tube removal in patients following CABG?
RCT (n=80)
randomly assigned
Yes
Does slow deep breathing relaxation exercise reduce pain and anxiety during and after chest tube removal in patients following CABG?
Absolute Event Rate: 5.325% vs 7.125%
p-value: p=<.001
Slow deep breathing relaxation exercises serve as a simple, effective nonpharmacological nursing strategy to significantly reduce pain and anxiety during and after chest tube removal following CABG.
May support SDBRE as adjunctive nursing care; leaves open confirmation of benefit in larger RCTs before practice change.
Chest tube removal after coronary artery bypass graft is frequently reported by patients as stressful and painful, highlighting the need for effective nonpharmacological interventions. Slow deep breathing relaxation exercises (SDBREs) may serve as a simple nursing strategy to reduce discomfort. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of SDBRE on pain and anxiety during and after chest tube removal following coronary artery bypass grafting in Nablus hospitals. An experimental design was used with 80 patients recruited from 2 hospitals. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 40) that practiced SDBRE or a control group (n = 40) that received standard care. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire, the Numeric Pain Scale, and the Visual Anxiety Scale. Data collection occurred from March to October 2024. The intervention group reported significantly lower pain scores during removal (M: 5.325 vs 7.125, P < .001) and after removal ( P < .001). Anxiety scores were significantly lower both during and after removal ( P < .001). Pain correlated with duration, with more complex operations and prolonged chest tube insertion linked to higher scores. SDBRE significantly reduced pain and anxiety during and after chest tube removal, supporting its integration into routine postoperative nursing care.
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Sabiha et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in Chest tube removal after coronary artery bypass grafting (n=80). Slow deep breathing relaxation exercises (SDBRE) vs. Standard care was evaluated on Pain scores during chest tube removal (p=<.001). Slow deep breathing relaxation exercises significantly reduced pain scores during chest tube removal after CABG compared to standard care (mean 5.325 vs 7.125; P<.001).
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