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

NCT07327957 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: CTT-VIBREATH-RCT-ATAU-2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Postoperative Pain; Anxiety; Thoracic Drainage

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Pain Intensity

  Pain intensity associated with chest tube removal will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a validated 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Participants will self-report their pain level.

  Assessed immediately before chest tube removal and 10 minutes after the procedure.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Anxiety Level

  Assessed immediately before chest tube removal and 10 minutes after the procedure.

Study Arms (3)

Vibration

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive a non-pharmacological intervention consisting of vibration before chest tube removal. Vibration will be applied proximal to the chest tube insertion site for a standard duration using a portable vibrating device. The interventions will be performed in addition to routine clinical care.

Other: Vibration

Control Group (Standard Care)

NO INTERVENTION

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.

Breathing Exercise Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals in the breathing exercise group will be led through breathing exercises by the researcher in their room before the procedure begins. The exercise duration is approximately 8-10 minutes. The environment should be quiet, at room temperature, and well-ventilated during the exercises. The patient should be seated in a comfortable position, and the following steps will be followed.

Other: Breathing Exercises

Interventions

Vibration OTHER

Vibration will be applied using a portable data device inserted for a standard duration, combined with chest tube placement. The procedure will be performed with the patient in a comfortable position.

Vibration

Breathing Exercises OTHER

The remaining patients will be given breathing exercises including slow, deep, diaphragmatic, and iced-lip breathing techniques. These exercises will be performed calmly and quietly by the researcher to promote relaxation. The combined intervention will continue in addition to routine clinical care until the procedures and chest tube removal expense are completed.

Breathing Exercise Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age and older,
• Conscious, oriented, and cooperative (e.g., Glasgow Coma Score ≥ 13),
• Able to speak and understand Turkish,
• Having a chest tube and undergoing chest tube removal for the first time,
• Hemodynamically stable,
• Having not taken analgesic, sedative, or anxiolytic drugs at least 4 hours prior to the procedure,
• Able to communicate and respond to pain assessment scales during the procedure,
• No severe hearing, visual, or communication impairment,
• No neurological or cognitive disease that could affect the assessment of cognitive functions,
• No history of psychiatric diagnosis or active psychiatric treatment,
• Patients who voluntarily participate in the study and provide written consent will be included.

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with past or current cognitive and psychological disorders,
• Those who have previously had chest tube insertion,
• Those who are mechanically ventilated (intubated),
• Those who have chronic pain and routinely use analgesics,
• Those who used analgesics immediately before chest tube removal,
• Those who did not volunteer to participate in the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Gamze BULUT: lead
• Ataturk University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Atatürk Universty

Erzurum, Erzurum, 25000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain, Postoperative; Anxiety Disorders

Interventions

Vibration; Breathing Exercises

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Postoperative Complications; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mechanical Phenomena; Physical Phenomena; Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Exercise Movement Techniques; Physical Therapy Modalities

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant, Department of Surgical Nursing

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 26, 2025
• First Posted: January 8, 2026
• Study Start: June 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 15, 2026
• Last Updated: July 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)