Sensations experienced during removal of tubes in acute postoperative patients

The major purpose of this study was to determine the types and intensity of sensations that patients experience when chest tubes (CTs) and Jackson-Pratt (JP) abdominal tubes are removed. A convenience sample of 62 hospitalized subjects, 31 with CTs and 31 with JP tubes, participated. Each subject was interviewed after tube removal. Sensations were identified, and intensity of sensation was marked on a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale. Similar sensations were reported by both groups. Intensity of sensation was consistently higher in the JP group. The most frequently reported sensations were pain (77%) on JP tube removal and pulling (90%) upon CT removal.