Nonpharmacologic Therapies for Postoperative Pain in Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: To search for studies that address the efficacy of nonpharmacologic methods for pain relief in adults undergoing cardiac surgeries. DESIGN: A systematic review registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under number CRD42020168681. DATA SOURCE: PubMed, LILACS, CINAHL, the Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS: The review used a PRISMA guideline that selected primary randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of nonpharmacologic pain relief therapies in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, with no time or language restrictions. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Clinical Trials was used to assess methodological rigor. RESULTS: After screening, 23 of the 140 studies found in the databases were selected. The studies examined the efficacy of 13 different nonpharmacologic therapies, as well as a combination of therapies, with massage therapy being the most commonly examined, followed by musical intervention and hypnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Some interventions, when combined with pharmacologic therapy, were effective in relieving postoperative pain after cardiac surgeries, according to the studies analyzed. However, most studies had significant methodological flaws, and further studies with high methodological quality are needed.

Effect of listening to music on anxiety, pain, and cardiorespiratory parameters in cardiac surgery: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain are frequent in cardiac surgeries and constitute important stressors for patients, which can cause several complications. One strategy that aims to alleviate these phenomena is listening to music as a non-pharmacological intervention. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of listening to music on preoperative state-anxiety, postoperative pain, at rest and when instructed to cough, and cardiorespiratory parameters in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: A randomized, parallel, simple masking clinical trial will be conducted with patients 18 years of age or older who have undergone elective cardiac surgery by sternotomy, who agree to participate in the research and sign a free and informed consent form. Study participants will be randomly divided, in a 1:1 ratio, to one of the two groups: experimental (subjected to listening to music for 20 min in the pre- and postoperative period) or control (standard care in the pre- and postoperative period), using a randomization scheme generated by the Randomization.com website. The sample size calculation was obtained after conducting a pilot study. DISCUSSION: The results of the study may contribute to the implementation of non-pharmacological interventions in health services, highlighting the protocols for listening to music, to minimize anxiety and pain in cardiac surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ReBEC RBR-8mdyhd . Posted on December 10, 2019.