Effect of cold application after transradial coronary angiography intervention on pain, echymosis and comfort levels in patients

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of cold [ice] application following transradial coronary angiography [TRA] on early postoperative complications [pain, hematoma, bleeding, edema, ecchymosis, and ambulation difficulty] and postoperative comfort in patients who underwent TRA with TR band application. Method: This research was conducted using an experimental, pretest-posttest control group design. A total of 104 patients who underwent TRA and TR band application were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group [n=52] and a control group [n=52]. While the experimental group received an additional cold [ice] application over the TR band, the control group received only the standard TR band care. Data were collected through laboratory parameters, pain scores [NRS], the Early Postoperative Comfort Scale [EPKÖ], and complication frequencies. Results: At the 0th hour after the procedure, no statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups regarding pain, hematoma, bleeding, or comfort levels [p>0.05]. However, during the 1st–6th hour period, the experimental group showed significantly lower rates of pain, hematoma, edema, ecchymosis, and ambulation difficulty [p<0.05]. The duration of TR band retention was shorter in the experimental group, and both inflation volume and air withdrawal amounts were lower. From the 7th to 24th hour, the incidence of ecchymosis and edema also remained significantly lower in the experimental group. No significant difference was found between groups in terms of postoperative comfort levels. Conclusion: The findings indicate that ice application effectively reduces local complications following TRA. However, it does not create a significant difference in postoperative comfort levels. Therefore, cold application can be considered a safe and effective supportive nursing intervention for preventing post-procedural complications. Keywords: Transradial angiography, TR band, cold application, pain management, comfort level