Postoperative Pain, Postoperative Wound Complication
Conditions
Brief summary
Background: Thyroid diseases are one of the most common health problems all over the world. After thyroidectomy, patients often experience discomfort such as neck pain, shoulder stiffness, shoulder movement difficulty, choking or pressing feeling. Head-neck stretching exercises provide neuromuscular coordination and flexibility in patients by reducing pain and muscle weakness. Methods: This research was carried out as a pre-test / post-test control group experimental design study in 82 patients in the general surgery clinic of a university hospital in Istanbul
Detailed description
Thyroid hormones are responsible for many metabolic activities in human physiology. It increases the basal metabolic rate, affects protein synthesis and helps growth of long bones. However, when thyroid functions change in the human body, the individual can be negatively affected and some individuals may require surgical intervention. Thyroid surgery is a prominent treatment for goiter, hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules or thyroid carcinoma. It has been reported that the most important complications after thyroidectomy are laryngeal nerve damage and hypoparathyroidism. Therefore, patients generally suffer from uncomfortable symptoms such as neck pain, shoulder stiffness, difficulty moving shoulders, choking or pressing feeling. In addition, it is indicated that in the early postoperative period, patients experience limitation in neck movement and have a robotic walking style in order to prevent possible neck pain and protect the incision area. It is emphasized that these symptoms persist for a while after the operation and negatively affect the daily life of the patient. Neck stretching exercises which include basic movements of the neck are simple and effective exercises. Stretching exercises provide neuromuscular coordination and flexibility in patients by reducing pain and muscle weakness. For this reason, neck stretching exercises should be performed in early postoperative period and a nurse should teach the patient the head-neck stretching exercises and ensure the patient's comfort after thyroidectomy.
Interventions
OTHERhead-neck stretching exercises
Neck stretching exercises which include basic movements of the neck are simple and effective exercises. Stretching exercises provide neuromuscular coordination and flexibility in patients by reducing pain and muscle weakness (Nakamura, Kodama, and Mukaino 2014). For this reason, neck stretching exercises should be performed in early postoperative period and a nurse should teach the patient the head-neck stretching exercises and ensure the patient's comfort after thyroidectomy.
Sponsors
Acelya Turkmen
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
A randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effect of post-thyroidectomy head-neck stretching exercises on postoperative pain level and wound healing
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Having agreed to participate in the research verbally and in writing after being informed about the research, * 18 years of age or older, * Patients who were able to understand the information given, who could read, write and speak in Turkish, who have not any problems preventing verbal communication, and who underwent thyroid surgery were included in the study.
Exclusion criteria
\- Patients who suffers from cervical problems before surgery were excluded from the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Postoperative pain intensity | Reported pain severity in the first 24 hours after surgery. | Pain intensity assesment with Visual Assesment Scale (VAS) Score: 0-10; 0- No pain, 10- Worst pain |
| Change from Postoperative Neck Pain and Disability at 1 month | Postoperative 1 st week and 1 st mounth | Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS) The scale consists of 15 items. Each item measures the severity of pain, and evaluates the interaction of professional, social and functional aspects of life, and the presence and extent of emotional factors. Each item has a 10 cm visual analog scale. It is divided into 6 sections at equal intervals by vertical bars. Each item is between 0-5 points. |
| Change from Postoperative Wound Healing at 1 month | Postoperative 1 st day, 1 st week and 1 st mounth | Patient and Observer Scar Rating Scale (POSAS) The scale consists of 7 items, 6 of them are for evaluating the scar (pain, itching, color, elasticity, thickness and irregularity assessment) and 1 evaluating the general opinion about the scar. Each item has a Likert-type score ranges from 1 to 10. 1 indicates normal skin, 10 indicates worst scar assessment. The lowest score in scale, which is 6, demonstrates normal skin, the highest score 60 demonstrates the worst possible scar. The scale score is calculated over the first 6 items. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed