The effect of cold steam applied in the early postoperative period in Thyroidectomy patients

This study has been carried out experimentally to investigate the effect of cold steam applied in the early postoperative period in thyroidectomy patients. The research was performed in the General Surgery Department of Bülent Ecevit University Research and Application Centre between 01.07.2017 - 01.07.2018. The sample of the study consists of 60 patients with thyroidectomy. In the collection of data; Patient Data Collection Form, Numerical Assessment Scale (Pain Conditions) Form, SIS (swallowing impairment score) Form, Cough Severity Form and Voice Handicap Index10 form have been used. The patients have been divided into two groups, in other words group receiving cold vapour and control group. In the postoperative, both groups have been applied cold steam for a period of 15 minutes per hour within the first eight hours and throat ache and cough conditions have been considered at 2 hour intervals within the first eight hours in the postoperative. After the postoperative 8th hour, the cold steam application has been continued to be applied to the group receiving cold vapour in two and three hour intervals at the 8th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 21th, 24th hour during the first 24 hours and after the postoperative 8th hour, cold steam application has been terminated in the cold steam application. After the postoperative 8th hour, in both groups, problems such as throat ache, cough and difficulty in swallowing have been evaluated at two and three hour intervals at 8th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 18th, 21th, 24th hour during the first 24 hours and their sound conditions have been evaluated at 24th hour. In order to conduct the research, ethical permission has been obtained from Bülent Ecevit University Clinical Research Ethics Committee, written permission has been taken from the institution and informed consent form has been received from the relatives of the patients. Data have been analysed using NCSS (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2007 (Kaysville, Utah, USA). Descriptive statistical methods (mean, standard deviation, median, frequency, per centage, minimum, maximum) have been used to evaluate the study data. The suitability of the quantitative data for normal distribution has been tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test and graphical analysis. Student's t-test has been used for the comparison of quantitative variables between two groups showing normal distribution, and Mann-Whitney U test has been used for the comparison of normal and quantitative variables between two groups not showing normal distribution. Pearson chi-square test has been used to compare the qualitative data. Statistical significance has been accepted as p <0.05. It has been determined that the average age of the patients in the group receiving cold steam was 45.07 ± 12.88 years, 53.3% of them were female and the duration of I ntubation was 2.32 ± 0.25 hours; Also it has been observed that the average age of the patients in the control group was 49,60 ± 11,70 years, 70% of them were female and the duration of intubation was 2,43 ± 0,17 hours. Within the first 24 hours after the operation, it has been understood that throat ache was less experienced in the group applied cold steam and this problem has continued by decreasing in both groups. It was determined that cough was less experienced in the group applied cold steam and that this problem has disappeared completely in the 8th hour after operation. It was found that cold steam given during the first 24 hours after thyroidectomy had a significant effect on reducing the difficulty in swallowing and for being a remedy for hoarseness.