Selected care problems in patients in the aftermath of the surgical treatment of an intracranial aneurysm

Aim of the study: The aim of the paper was to present selected care problems in patients and defining the level of functional outcome over the days following surgical treatment and on discharge.
Material and methods: The research was conducted in the Neurosurgical Department and Clinic Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, within a group of 128 patients after surgical treatment of an intracranial aneurysm. The research employed direct observation and measurement. In clinical assessment the Hunt and Hesse Grades (H&H) and the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) were applied. The final assessment was done in compliance with the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS). For presentation of nursing issues and for identifying the deficit of functional outcome the Functional Capacity Scale (FCS) was applied.
Results: The research conducted has shown that on the first day following surgical treatment, the patients are not able to sustain basic functions (breathing, blood circulation, metabolism), hence demanding intensive nursing care. With time, (3, 6, 9 days following surgical treatment), further problems such as: the need to relieve oneself, maintaining personal hygiene, or ambulating, may usually occur. The dressing and pain may also cause a problem. The problems of breathing and psyche were of minor importance. With time, the functional outcome increases, which was supported by the data (p<0,001).
Conclusions:
1. Among the problems existing in patients having undergone surgical removal of an intracranial aneurysm, the most paining ones were those concerning everyday activities, which in turn made patients dependent on nursing staff and surroundings (family, caretakers). 2. The majority of patients in the aftermath of surgical treatment (3, 6, 9 days) presented considerable deficit in functional capacity, which in turn improved considerably with time (on the day of discharge).