Plain-English translation of NCT07251270 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
This trial is testing whether using a simple stress ball during a routine chest tube removal procedure can help reduce pain and anxiety in patients who have just had open heart surgery. After heart surgery, doctors place small tubes in the chest to drain fluid; these tubes are typically removed on the second or third day. The study will compare patients who use a stress ball during removal (by squeezing it in a specific pattern) with patients who receive standard care alone, measuring pain levels, anxiety, and how the body responds physically.
Chest tube removal can be uncomfortable and cause anxiety in recovering heart surgery patients. Researchers want to know if this simple, low-cost tool might help ease that discomfort and reduce stress on the body without additional medications.
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If you join this study, you will be in either the stress ball group or the standard care group. Before your chest tube is removed, you will answer a few questions about your symptoms and provide some basic health information. If you are in the stress ball group, a nurse will show you how to use the ball (holding it in your palms and squeezing gently in a counting pattern) about 15 minutes before the procedure, then you will use it during the actual removal. The whole process takes about five minutes. Doctors will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels throughout. You will receive the same pain medication (morphine and paracetamol as needed) as all heart surgery patients in intensive care.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 16, 2026 · Not medical advice
Turkey (Türkiye)