Objectives

To assess the impact of pleural cavity drainage on the functioning of patients during hospitalisation.

Material and methods

The research was conducted on a group of 100 patients treated surgically at the Department of Thoracic Surgery in Gdańsk. The research method consisted of an original questionnaire. The questions concerned pain, problems with sleep and rest, and performing basic every­day activities.

Results

Forty-four per cent of the surveyed patients had a different felt the presence of a chest drain. Over half of the participants (62%) declared that they definitely suffered from pain caused by the presence of a chest drain during coughing. The results showed that there is no relationship between the surgical technique and the intensity of pain (p = 0.649). Respondents almost equally often stated that drainage does not allow, as well as that it allows them to sleep and rest. More than half of the patients reported that the presence of a drain hinders them from performing activities such as sitting (67%), getting out of bed (67%), getting dressed (59%), and washing (58%).

Conclusions

The presence of drainage in the pleural cavity in the study group affected the sensation of pain, mainly during physical activity and during the reflex of cough. Most patients declared that the maintained drainage of the pleural cavity allowed them to sleep and rest. In the postoperative period patients with pleural drainage require support in performing basic everyday activities, such as sitting down and getting up (from bed), and dressing and washing.