The Effects of Korean Hand Acupressure on Postoperative Nausea-Vomiting and Retching After Thyroidectomy

The study was planned as a randomized controlled experimental study to determine the effect of Korean hand acupressure applied after thyroidectomy on postoperative nausea-vomiting and retching. After ethics committee approval and institutional permission, 42 patients who applied to the general surgery clinic for thyroidectomy between February 1, 2021 and June 1, 2022 and met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. In the light of academic studies reported within the scope of the planned study, the sample size was determined with the effect size d = 0.942 (effect size), α = 0.05 ( margin of error), 1-β = 0.90 (Power) and G-power package program. It was decided to recruit 42 people (21 people per group). The block randomization method was used to determine the experimental and control groups. Randomization was done by a biostatistician other than the researcher. Patients who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study were assigned to the experimental and control groups according to the randomization list. Before the operation, the patient was visited and informed about the purpose, content and the intervention to be applied. After obtaining verbal and written consent from the patients who agreed to participate in the study, the "Individual Characteristics Form" was filled. The first part of the "Patient Follow-up Form" was filled in the experimental and control groups on the day of surgery. Korean hand acupressure was applied to the experimental group 30 minutes before the induction of anesthesia. After determining the pressure/treatment points on the patient's hand due to nausea and vomiting, a 3-5 minute massage was performed with the diagnostic stick. The seeds were then fixed at these points with a paper patch. The seeds were not removed for 8 hours. Massage was done for 3-5 minutes by pressing the seeds every 2 hours and making a curling motion at the same time. At the end of the 8th hour, the application was terminated. The application was made by Sevgi Gür, a researcher trained in Korean hand acupressure. In the control group, no application will be made during and after the surgical intervention, and routine treatment and care was applied. Pain, severity of nausea and vomiting, number of nausea-vomiting and retching, name, dose, frequency and duration of antiemetic drugs used were determined by the researcher at the 2nd, 6th, 12th and 24th hours after the patients in the experimental and control groups applied to the clinic. It was recorded in the second part of the "form". At the end of the 24th hour, the Rhodes Nausea, Vomiting and Retching Index score was evaluated by the researcher.