Abstract:
Symptoms following abdominal surgery are problematic characterized by both high prevalence and severity. The presence of symptoms prolongs recovery and increases complications. This study aimed to explore postoperative symptoms occurred during three days after abdominal surgery and to examine relationships between patients age, gender, length of operative procedure, incision length, pre-operative anxiety, and social support and postoperative symptoms. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to measure the level of preoperative anxiety. To evaluate social support, the Multidimensional Support Scale was used. The Memorial Symptoms Assessment Scale was also modified to examine patients postoperative symptoms. Structured interview was conducted with147 patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery in three teaching hospitals in Ha Noi, Vietnam. Data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearsons Product Moment Correlation.
The results identified seven postoperative symptoms occurred during three days after surgery including pain, tiredness, sleeplessness, abdominal distension, urinary retention, anxiety, and dizziness. The overall mean score of symptoms was high on the first day (mean = 40.47) after surgery then was decreased on the second (mean = 26.33) and the third day (mean = 19.16). Pain, tiredness, and sleeplessness appeared as the cluster of the most problematic symptoms entire three days. In addition, length of operative procedure was positively related to postoperative symptoms during three days (r = .48, .48, and .30; p < .01, consecutively). Incision length associated with symptoms on day one (r = .27, p < .01) and day three (r = .31, p < .01). Similarly, age also was related to symptoms on day one and day three (r = -.25, p < .01 and -.18, p < .05, respectively). However, preoperative anxiety associated with symptoms only on day one (r = .16, p < .05). Interestingly, no significant relationships were found between social support and postoperative symptoms entire three days.
The findings indicate several symptoms occurring postoperatively. There is a need for appropriate managements of postoperative symptoms, especially for the most problematic symptoms. Nursing interventions should be individualized; additionally, a proper consideration for the factors related to symptoms following surgery should be included in nursing therapeutic.