Background: Chest tubes removal (CTR) described as one of the worst feeling for critical ill
patients after thoracotomy. Unrelieved pain causes undesired consequences that had adverse effects
on patient quality of care. CTR pain usually managed by analgesics, but patient showed different
responses to drugs and might not provide complete relaxation.Aim: This study aims to assess the
effect of cryotherapy on pain quality and intensity among patients with thoracotomy after chest tube
removal. Methods: Quasi-experimental design (study & control) was utilized in this study. This
study conducted in the cardio-thoracic critical care units at Cardiovascular and Thoracic Academy
affiliated to Ain Sham University Hospital. A purposive sample of patients undergoing thoracotomy
was included in this study. They were divided into control group and study group (70 patients in
each group). Data were collected using three tools; a structured interviewing questionnaire,
Standardized Linear Scale for Pain Assessment and Modified McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short
Form (MPQ-SF).Results: The results reveals that 50%, 67.1% of the control and study group
patients were in age group from 51-≥60 years. 62.9 and 81.4% of the control and study group were
males. 42.9% of both groups were highly educated. A statistically significant differences were
found between study and control group regarding pain quality immediately and after 30 minutes of
cryotherapy applied after chest tube removal in terms of sensory and affective descriptors. Also, a
highly significant difference was found between study and control groups regarding pain intensity
immediately and 30 minutes after cryotherapy applied after chest tube removal. Conclusion:
cryotherapy application was useful for improving pain quality and relieving intensity of pain among
patients with thoracotomy after application of cryotherapy following chest tube removal.
Recommendations: Encourage nurses in critical care settings to make decision about applying
cryotherapy as a nonpharmacological modality for reliving chest tube removal pain