Effectiveness of Light Pressure Stroking Massage on the Vital Signs of Patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Hospitalized in Isfahan Chamran Hospital between 2010-2011

Cardiac surgery is one of the stressful operations for the patients which can cause some changes in their vital signs. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of massage therapy on vital signs of patients after coronary artery bypass surgery. In this quasi-experimental study 72 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery in Chamran Hospital of Isfahan city، were selected. They were randomly assigned to the case and control groups. During four days after the surgery، members of the case group received light pressure stroking massage for 20 minutes in 4 sessions، while patients in control group received only the routine cares. Using a checklist، the patient''s vital signs were controlled and recorded before and after the intervention. SPSS software version 18 and descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used for data analysis. There wasn’t seen any significant difference between the vital signs’ of case and control group members before the intervention (p>0. 05)، but comparing mean scores demonstrated a significant difference between them after the intervention (p<0. 05). light pressure stroking massage adjusts vital signs of patients after coronary artery bypass surgery and due to its low cost and simplicity of performance، it may be used as a complement to drug therapy and postoperative interventions used in these patients.