Sensations experienced during removal of tubes in acute postoperative patients

The major purpose of this study was to determine the types and intensity of sensations that patients experience when chest tubes (CTs) and Jackson-Pra tt (JP) abdominal tubes are removed. A convenience sample of 62 hospitalize d subjects, 31 with CTs and 31 with JP tubes, participated. Each subject wa s interviewed after tube removal. Sensations were identified, and intensity of sensation was marked on a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale. Similar sensati ons were reported by both groups. Intensity of sensation was consistently h igher in the JP group. The most frequently reported sensations were pain (7 7%) on JP tube removal and pulling (90%) upon CT removal. Copyright (C) 199 9 by W.B. Saunders Company.