Effects of Vibration and Breathing Exercises on Pain and Anxiety During Chest Tube Removal

Gamze BULUT

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Postoperative Pain; Thoracic Drainage; Anxiety

Treatments: Other: Vibration and Breathing Exercises

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07327957

CTT-VIBREATH-RCT-ATAU-2025

Details and patient eligibility

About

Removing a chest tube is a common procedure after chest surgery, but it can cause significant pain and anxiety for patients. Although medications can help reduce these symptoms, they may have side effects and are not always sufficient. Therefore, simple and safe non-drug methods are increasingly used to improve patient comfort.

This randomized controlled study aims to examine the effects of vibration and breathing exercises applied before chest tube removal on patients' pain and anxiety levels. Adult patients with a chest tube will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a vibration group, a breathing exercise group, or a control group receiving standard care. Pain and anxiety levels will be measured before the procedure and after chest tube removal using validated scales.

The findings of this study are expected to show whether vibration and breathing exercises are effective in reducing pain and anxiety during chest tube removal. If effective, these methods may offer nurses an easy, low-cost, and safe way to improve patient comfort and support evidence-based nursing care.

Full description

Chest tube removal is a necessary clinical procedure following thoracic surgery, but it is frequently associated with acute pain and heightened anxiety. These symptoms may negatively affect patient comfort, cooperation, and recovery. While pharmacological interventions are commonly used to manage procedure-related pain and anxiety, concerns regarding side effects and limited effectiveness have increased interest in non-pharmacological approaches within nursing care.

This randomized controlled study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of vibration and breathing exercises applied prior to chest tube removal on pain and anxiety levels. Eligible adult patients hospitalized in a thoracic surgery unit and scheduled for chest tube removal will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a vibration group, a breathing exercise group, or a control group receiving routine care. Randomization will be performed using a web-based randomization tool to ensure equal allocation.

In the vibration group, a portable vibration device will be applied to the area proximal to the chest tube insertion site for a standardized duration before the removal procedure. In the breathing exercise group, participants will be guided through structured breathing exercises designed to promote relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing. The control group will receive standard clinical care without any additional non-pharmacological intervention.

Pain intensity and anxiety levels will be assessed at two time points: prior to the chest tube removal procedure and shortly after the procedure. Validated measurement tools will be used to ensure reliability of the findings. Data will be analyzed to compare changes in pain and anxiety levels within and between groups.

The results of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the use of vibration and breathing exercises as simple, safe, and cost-effective nursing interventions to reduce pain and anxiety associated with chest tube removal. These findings may contribute to the development of evidence-based, non-pharmacological strategies in clinical nursing practice.

Enrollment: 70 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patients aged 18 years and older
• Hospitalized patients with an indwelling chest tube scheduled for removal
• First-time chest tube placement
• Conscious, oriented, and cooperative
• Able to understand and communicate in Turkish
• Hemodynamically stable at the time of chest tube removal
• No use of analgesic or sedative medications within 4 hours prior to the procedure
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of any cognitive or psychiatric disorder
• Previous experience with chest tube placement
• Requirement for mechanical ventilation or endotracheal intubation
• Presence of chronic pain or regular use of analgesic medications
• Use of analgesic or sedative medications immediately before chest tube removal
• Unstable clinical condition at the time of the procedure
• Refusal or inability to provide informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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70 participants in 2 patient groups

Vibration and Breathing Exercise Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group will receive a combined non-pharmacological intervention consisting of vibration application and guided breathing exercises prior to chest tube removal. The vibration will be applied using a portable vibration device to the area proximal to the chest tube insertion site for a standardized duration. Breathing exercises will be performed under the guidance of the researcher and will include slow, deep, and diaphragmatic breathing techniques aimed at promoting relaxation. All interventions will be administered in addition to routine clinical care.

Treatment:

Other: Vibration and Breathing Exercises

Control Group (Standard Care)

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in the control group will receive routine clinical care according to standard hospital protocols prior to chest tube removal. No additional non-pharmacological interventions, including vibration or breathing exercises, will be applied before the procedure.