Pain Interference with Daily Living Activities and Dependency Level of Patients Undergoing CABG Surgery

Postoperative pain is one of the most intensive problems experienced by patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The severity of pain after surgery hinders general activity, sleep, deep breathing, and sleep quality.

This descriptive study was done to determine the interference of postoperative pain with daily activities and dependency levels on coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.

Descriptive study.

Cardiovascular Surgery Ward of a university hospital.

Sixty five patients who undergone CABG surgery.

The sample of the study was composed of 65 patients in the Cardiovascular Surgery Ward of a university hospital between April 15, 2016-April 15, 2017, who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and agreed to participate in the study. A Data Collection Form, the short form of Brief Pain Inventory (PI-SF), and the Katz Activities of Daily Living Index (ADL) were used to collect data. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews on postoperative day 1, and through phone interviews on postoperative days 7 and 15.

Patients' satisfaction with pain management was high during the postoperative period. However, most of the patients were found to have postoperative stinging pain in the sternum. The worst, least, and average pain in the last 24 hours current pain was significant in all postoperative days (p = .000). Paired comparisons of 1st-7th days were significant for the worst pain in the last 24 hours (p = .000). Average and current pain was significant in paired comparisons of all postoperative days (p = .000). Postoperative pain interfered with ADL and patients were semi-dependent on the 1st postoperative day and their independence level increased after discharge.

Although patients are satisfied with pain management after surgery, they continue to experience post-operative pain which interferes with activities of daily living.