Effect of Box Breathing Before Chest Tube Removal After Open-Heart Surgery

Chest tube removal is a routine procedure following open-heart surgery; however, it may cause pain, anxiety, dyspnea, and changes in hemodynamic parameters. Nonpharmacological interventions that are simple, safe, and easy to apply may contribute to symptom management during this procedure.

This prospective, two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effects of box breathing performed before chest tube removal in patients undergoing open-heart surgery. A total of 86 eligible patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group (n=43) or control group (n=43) using block randomization.

Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive routine care and perform the box breathing technique approximately five minutes before chest tube removal. The technique consists of four phases of equal duration: inhaling for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and holding after exhalation for 4 seconds. Participants will perform 15 consecutive cycles for approximately five minutes under the verbal guidance of the researcher. The exercise will be completed immediately before chest tube removal. Participants in the control group will receive routine clinical care without an additional nonpharmacological intervention.

Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), anxiety using the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A), and dyspnea using the Visual Analog Scale for Dyspnea (VAS-D). Hemodynamic parameters will include systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2).

Assessments will be performed at five time points: before the box breathing intervention (T0), immediately after chest tube removal (T1), and at 5 minutes (T2), 15 minutes (T3), and 30 minutes (T4) after chest tube removal. Both groups will continue to receive routine medical treatment and nursing care throughout the study.

The primary outcome is pain intensity associated with chest tube removal. Secondary outcomes are anxiety, dyspnea, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation.

Inclusion criteria

Patients who have undergone open-heart surgery and have a chest tube Aged 18 years or older Willing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent Conscious, oriented, and cooperative Able to read and understand Turkish Clinically and hemodynamically stable Having no more than three chest tubes (up to two mediastinal and one thoracic chest tube) No diagnosed psychiatric disorder Not receiving psychiatric medications and/or local neuromuscular blocking agents

Exclusion criteria

Patients who have not undergone open-heart surgery Unconscious, disoriented, or uncooperative patients Unable to read and understand Turkish Intubated patients Receiving additional analgesic medication other than routine analgesia Receiving local anesthesia at the chest tube insertion site Having four chest tubes (two mediastinal and two thoracic) Unwilling to participate in the study Having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder or mental health condition