Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
Acupoint Needle-Embedding Combined with Ironing Therapy for Postoperative Pain After Anal Surgery
Published on: June 23, 2023
The Effect of Acupressure on Procedural Pain, Anxiety, and Hemodynamic Parameters During Chest Tube Removal in
Didem Kandemir1, Serpil Yüksel2, Tuğba Çam Yanık3
1Surgical Receiving Unit, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Background:
Patients undergoing open-heart surgery often experience procedural pain and anxiety during chest tube removal (CTR), which can lead to serious complications, along with potential changes in hemodynamic parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation.
Aim:
This study aimed to explore the effects of acupressure on procedural pain, anxiety, and hemodynamic parameters during CTR in open-heart surgery patients.
Methods:
This prospective, two-arm (1:1), randomized sham-controlled trial included 68 open-heart surgery patients with chest tubes. Participants were randomly assigned to either the true acupressure group (n = 34) or the sham acupressure group (n = 34). Before CTR, patients in the true acupressure group received 12 minutes of pressure at points LI4, LI11, and HT7 on both hands, while those in the sham acupressure group received pressure applied 1.5 cm away from the same points. Data were collected at baseline (T0), immediately after CTR (T1), and 15 minutes after CTR (T2) using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), and hemodynamic parameters.
Results:
At baseline, pain, anxiety, and hemodynamic parameters were comparable between the two groups (p > .05). Immediately after CTR (T1), pain levels were significantly lower in the true acupressure group compared with the sham acupressure group, with an effect size of 0.71 (t = 2.925, Cohen's d = 0.709, p = .005). Anxiety levels were also significantly lower in the true acupressure group both immediately after CTR (T1; effect size = 0.50, t = 2.046, Cohen's d = 0.496, p = .045) and 15 minutes post-removal (T2; effect size = 0.51, t = 2.111, Cohen's d = 0.512, p = .035). Acupressure had no significant effect on hemodynamic parameters (p > .05).
Conclusion:
Acupressure was effective in reducing procedural pain and anxiety associated with CTR in open-heart surgery patients, while having no measurable impact on hemodynamic parameters.
Clinical Trials Id:
NCT05875337 (Registered May 15, 2023).
